BOSTON – For the first time in 2015 and the Bonny Ducharme era, the Suffolk volleyball team will compete in the friendly confines of Regan Gymnasium when the Rams welcome the Cats of Anna Maria to Beacon Hill Thursday night for a 7 p.m. GNAC match.  

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LAST TIME OUT
In its first match that was not a sweep this season, the Suffolk volleyball team could not outlast Wentworth Institute of Technology Tuesday night, as the Rams fell, 3-1, at Tansey Gymnasium. The Leopards took the match by set scores of 25-20, 22-25, 25-17 and 25-16.

Bridget Allison recorded a career-high 11 kills to pace the Rams' (2-4) attack. The freshman added six digs and a service ace while Chidera Nwankwo and Jane Buckley contributed eight kills and seven kills, respectively. Liz Kerek had a career-night as she dished out a career-best 26 assists, matched her kills career high with five and provided six digs. Suffolk also received a strong performance from its rookie duo of Talia Lombardo and Emma Feeney, as Lombardo recorded 16 digs, four kills, two assists and two aces with Feeney adding 12 digs, two assists and one ace. 

MORE READING: Volleyball Can't Outlast Wentworth, Falls in Four

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Bridget Allison boasts a 1.89 kps average to lead Suffolk's (2-4) attack. Talia Lombardo, meanwhile, has chipped in 1.53 kps with Chidera Nwankwo adding 1.37 kps. Liz Kerek has dished out 4.50 aps. The Rams' defense is led by Emma Feeny's 3.58 dps with Lombardo (3.21 dps), Rachel Fancy (2.73) and Nwankwo (0.47 bps) also contributing to the effort.

SERVING UP ACES
Suffolk scored 19 aces in a straight set victory over Massachusetts Maritime, marking the most aces for a Rams' squad since 2011. Freshman Talia Lombardo tallied eight aces in the victory, the most for a Ram since Melissa Griffin '12 served that number in a 3-1 victory over Eastern Nazarene September 22, 2011.

In its first GNAC action of the season, Suffolk served 17 aces in a tri-match at Saint Joseph's to lead the league in service aces in GNAC competition.

SWEEPS
Five of Suffolk's six matches this season have come in the form of 3-0 sets. Last season, the Rams had 25 matches decided in cleansheats, owning six of those in victories.

CATCH UP ON THE CATS
Anna Maria opens its GNAC slate Thursday and carries a 5-5 overall record into the match after picking up wins over UMass Dartmouth (3-1) and Becker (3-0). Amari King has led the Cats attack with 2.26 kps, while Jessica Goulet has chipped in 1.67 kps. Rebecca Foti (1.53 kps), Telliah Bursie (1.39 kps) and Brianna Laregina (1.12 kps) have each tallied over 1.00 kps with Samantha Parker handling setting duties. Goulet and Bursie lead Anna Maria at the net with 0.67 bps and 0.61 bps, respectively, while Caroline Garcia adds to the defensive charge with 3.61 dps.

LOOKING AHEAD
Suffolk heads out on the road for its second tri-match of the season, when it visits West Hartford, Connecticut Saturday afternoon. The Rams will take on the University of Saint Joseph's before facing Pratt on the Blue Jays' court.