NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Suffolk volleyball team picked up a thrilling 3-2 victory at Albertus Magnus Saturday afternoon at the AMC Athletic Center. The Rams earned the win by set scores, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21, 22-25 and 15-12.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-6, 3-2 GNAC) | Albertus Magnus (11-7, 1-3 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk fell behind early as the Falcons took the first frame, 25-23. The Rams rebounded in the ensuing sets with a 25-16 second stanza win and a 25-21 third frame victory to go ahead 2-1 in the match. Albertus Magnus forced the fifth frame as it came back in the fourth, 25-22. In a tightly contest final frame, Suffolk came out on top, 15-12 to stretch its win streak to three straight.
SET ONE RECAP (25-23, ABLERTUS MAGNUS)
- Suffolk found itself in a 5-0 hole.
- The Rams outscored the Falcons 6-2 to pull within one, 7-6.
- A block by Hannah Fabiano leveled the playing field at 9-all before a bad set by Genesis Cora Luquis gave the Rams their first lead of the day, 10-9.
- Albertus Magnus rattled off eight unanswered points to turn the table and regain the advantage, 18-12.
- The teams traded points, but Suffolk had too much ground to make up and the Falcons went on to take the set, 25-23.
SET TWO RECAP (25-16, SUFFOLK)
- Suffolk grabbed a 5-0 lead.
- The Rams remained in front at the midway point, 11-6.
- The blue and gold's advantaged blossomed to a 20-12 edge.
- See-saw action ended the frame with Suffolk in front, 25-16.
SET THREE RECAP (25-21, SUFFOLK)
- A back-and-forth battle was present to open the action with Suffolk ahead, 5-3.
- Thanks to four answered points the Falcons went ahead, 8-6.
- The score equalized four times with the scoreboard reading 15-15 before the Rams rebuilt an edge.
- A 4-0 spurt by Suffolk put the visitors ahead, 19-15.
- An ace by Emma Feeney set up match point, 24-18, but the Falcons had other things in mind, putting the next three points on the board to pull within three, 24-21.
- Thanks to an Albertus Magnus mistake, a Cora Luquis service error, the Rams took the frame, 25-21.
SET FOUR RECAP (25-22, ALBERTUS MAGNUS)
- The score stood even at 9-9.
- Suffolk gained a three-point edge, 12-9, but the Falcons responded with three of their own to level the playing field once again 12-all.
- The teeter, totter set ensued as four consecutive Suffolk points were followed up by six from the Falcons that gave the hosts an 18-16 cushion.
- The Rams looked to make up ground and used a handle of spurts, but Albertus Magnus' five consecutive points set up set point, 24-21,
- A kill by Fabiano broke up the run, but a service error by Suffolk's Bridget Allison allowed the Falcons to take the set, 25-22.
SET FIVE RECAP (15-12, SUFFOLK)
- A battled was present for the entire frame with the score holding at 10-all.
- Suffolk coupled two points together – kills from Liz Kerek and Fabiano – to put distance between the Rams and Falcons.
- Points see-sawed back-and-forth the remainder of the way and Suffolk sealed the win thanks to Allison's fifth kill of the day.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Fabiano and Chidera Nwankwo each posted 14 kills to lead Suffolk's offense. Nwankwo hit an impressive .440 in the victory.
- Kerek set up the Rams' 51 kills, registering 41 assists to go along with a 20-dig effort on the defensive side of action.
- Kayla Barbera added 10 kills with Lombardo pitching in six.
- Dakhhensey Marcellus (17 digs), Lombardo (15 digs) and Fabiano (11) all added to the defense.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk strung together its third consecutive victory including third straight conference win marking the longest league win streak since rattling four Oct. 19-29, 2005.
- The Rams are 2-1 in five-set matches this season.
- The Rams improved to 18-1 in the all-time series with Albertus Magnus that dates back to 2000.
- For the first-time in the all-time series, Suffolk and Albertus Magnus went to five sets.
- Suffolk improved to 3-0 versus the Falcons under Bonny Ducharme.
- Suffolk stretched its win streak against Albertus Magnus to six matches.
- Fabiano notched her third double-double of the season, while Kerek notched her second and eighth of her collegiate career.
- Kerek's 41 assists are a new career-best for the senior.
COMING UP
Suffolk begins a four-match homestand Wednesday, Oct. 4 when it welcomes Lasell to Regan Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. match.