Volleyball Sweeps Emmanuel, Defeats Saints for First Time in Program History

Volleyball Sweeps Emmanuel, Defeats Saints for First Time in Program History

BOSTON – For the first time in program history, Suffolk volleyball defeated Emmanuel, taking down the Saints in straight sets inside Regan Gymnasium Wednesday night. The historic win came by set scores 25-14, 25-22 and 25-18. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Emmanuel 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-6, 1-2 GNAC) | Emmanuel (4-8, 3-1 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk stormed out of the gates to claim the first set, 25-14. Rallied from seven down to comeback and claim the second, 25-22, and put away the match with a steady third, 25-18. 

SET ONE RECAP (25-18, SUFFOLK)

  • Suffolk grabbed a 7-2 lead before Emmanuel used its first timeout.
  • The Saints chipped away at the Rams lead, but the hosts kept the visitors at bay and stretch their lead to 19-11.
  • Out of Emmanuel's second timeout of the frame, Suffolk outscored the Saints, 6-3, to take the frame, 25-14. 

SET TWO RECAP (25-22, SUFFOLK)

  • Suffolk found itself in an 11-3 hole.
  • Out of a timeout, the Rams started their rally, slowly chipping away at the Saints lead.
  • Suffolk pulled within six on a Bridget Allison kill, 19-13, but Emmanuel kept the Rams from starting a rally.
  • With the Saints just three points away from set point, the blue and gold found its grove and strung together three answered points to make it a four-point frame, 22-18.
  • Emmanuel took a timeout to talk things over, but it did not slow down the Rams, who continued to rally.  
  • With its seventh consecutive points the hosts evened the playing field at 22-all and took its first lead of the set, 23-22, thanks to an attack error by Emmanuel's Marissa Cataldo.
  • Emma Feeney's ace was followed by a kill from Allison to lock up the comeback, 25-22. 

SET THREE RECAP (25-18, SUFFOLK)

  • Suffolk stormed to a 9-4 lead.
  • Emmanuel attempt to build off a break, but the Rams remained in front, 17-11.
  • The Saints outscored the hosts 5-1 to pull within three, 21-18.
  • The Rams locked up the set and match, 25-18, thanks to a 4-0 spurt. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

  • Hannah Fabiano led the attack with nine kills to go along with nine digs, two assists and a pair of blocks.
  • Chidera Nwankwo chipped in seven kills.
  • Talia Lombardo had a day with six kills, seven digs, three aces and three assists.
  • Allison finished the night with six kills, three blocks, one assist and one dig.
  • Liz Kerek set up Suffolk's 36-kill attack with 29 assists. The senior co-captain also contributed two kills, two digs and one service ace.
  • Feeney was an ace at the line, serving three, and adding six digs to her stat line.

NOTEWORTHY

  • Suffolk defeated Emmanuel for the first time in the all-time series with Emmanuel dating back to the 2003 season. 

POST-MATCH PIC
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UP NEXT
Suffolk heads out on the road Saturday, Sept. 30 for a GNAC tri-match at Albertus Magnus. The Rams action gets underway in New Haven, Connecticut, against Anna Maria at 1 p.m., with the blue-and-gold taking on the Falcons at 3 p.m.