The 2nd-seeded Emmanuel College Women's Volleyball Team defeated 7th-seeded Suffolk University, 3-0, on Tuesday night in a cross-town rivalry marking the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament. This was Emmanuel's 15th-consecutive GNAC Tournament appearance and the quarterfinal win came via set scores of 26-24, 25-10 and 25-16, boosting the Saints to 22-12 on the season. The loss dropped Suffolk to 16-14 on the season.
The Rams, who were making their first GNAC Tourney appearance since the 2006 season, showed confidence early, racing out to an 8-3 lead powered by the hitting of Sarah Arbogast (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Hailey Atkinson (Branford, Conn.). The Saints were quickly able to cut the deficit to one, going on a 6-2 run, capped by a kill from freshman Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.). Following a timeout midway through the set, Suffolk capitalized on two consecutive kills by Savannah Carpenter (Weston, Conn.) to jump out in front, 15-11.
Emmanuel then put together a 4-1 run, ending with a kill by sophomore setter Shannon Dudley (Morro Bay, Calif.) and EC trailed 16-15. The Rams would hang on to their slight lead and a Suffolk attack error set the score at 22-21. A solo block by Emmanuel sophomore Danielle Rose (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) knotted the score at 22-all and a kill from Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) gave the Saints their first lead of the night. A Suffolk attack error forced Emmanuel's first set-point at 24-22. A backrow kill by Atkinson and an error by the Saints tied the set at 24-all. Rose followed with a kill for the Saints and the Rams hit a ball long, as EC took set one, 26-24.
Dudley opened the second set with aces in three of the Saints' first four points. The Rams continued to struggle with their serve receive, as Tutalo served up a pair of aces. Six of the Saints' opening nine points would come off of service aces, as EC built a 9-1 advantage to start things off. Trailing 12-3, the Rams signaled for their first timeout of the set.
Emmanuel continued to roll in the second and a kill by rookie Katelyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) extended the hosts' lead to 20-7. Saints' kills by Dudley and Starr Ripley (Chicopee, Mass.) gave Emmanuel set point at 24-9. Atkinson put it down from the middle to end the set at 25-10 and give the Saints a 2-0 lead heading into the third set.
The Saints jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, forcing a Suffolk timeout to start the third. A Rams' kill by Kristin Hartnett (Wakefield, R.I.) cut their deficit to three points at 10-7. A solo block by Carpenter set the score at 14-12, Saints. Emmanuel got kills from Sarah Colby (West Barnstable, Mass.) and Atkinson to go out in front, 20-13. The Saints were able to close it out after a solo block by Dudley and a kill by Tutalo. Emmanuel rolled to a 25-16 set three win and the 3-0 sweep.
Sarah Colby and Katelyn Akinson paced the Saints' offensive attack with 9 kills apiece. Colby also finished with 4 aces on the night. Tutalo, who hit a team-best .375, added 7 kills and a match-high 5 service aces. Junior libero Cara Callahan (Medway, Mass.) anchored the backrow with 16 digs, while Dudley handed out 28 helpers in the win.
Suffolk was led by Hailey Atkinson's 8 kills and 9 digs. GNAC kills leader Tori Brillaud (North Andover, Mass.) struggled offensively, but notched 9 digs for the Rams in the backrow. Arbogast finished with 9 assists in the effort.
The Saints will now advance to take on Johnson & Wales University in the GNAC semifinal round this Thursday night (11/7). The 3rd-seeded Wildcats downed 6th-seeded Lasell College, 3-1, in their quarterfinal match played in Providence, R.I.
The winner of Thursday night's semifinal will play for the GNAC Championship this Saturday afternoon (11/9) at the home site of the highest remaining seed. The GNAC championship team receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
(Story courtesy of Emmanuel College Sports Information)