BOSTON – In a battle between Boston Commons neighbors, Suffolk volleyball landed on the wrong side of a straight set decision as Emerson prevailed over the Rams Tuesday night at the Larry E. and Michael S. Smith court. The non-conference setback came by set scores 25-13, 25-21 and 25-23.  

THE BASCICS
SCORE: Suffolk 0 | Emerson 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-3) | Emerson (4-2)  

SET ONE RECAP (25-13, EMERSON)

• Emerson posted the first four points to grab a 9-5 advantage, which forced Scott Blanchard to use his first timeout of the set. 
• The break did not stymie the Lions, who leaped ahead 17-8 and Blanchard called the blue-and-gold over once again to talk things over. 
• This time, the huddle helped, and Suffolk made a bit of a run to pull within seven, 19-12, on an ace by Hannah Fabiano. 
• Emerson did not let the Rams pull any closer, however, and the visitors took the first set, 25-13.  

SET TWO RECAP (25-21, EMERSON)

• Down 4-0, the Rams rallied behind a Kenzley Bell ace followed by a Fabiano kill to trim the distance to one, 5-4. 
• The Lions went on another scoring frenzy and Suffolk found itself in a four-point hole for the second time in the set, 8-4. 
• An Emerson attack error coupled with a kill from Sarah Mullahy trimmed the margin back to two, 10-8.
• Slowly the Lions built more ground in their favor and Suffolk found itself trailing 14-8. 
• Out of a Suffolk timeout, the hosts made things interesting on a 7-1 stretch capped off by a Stephanie Rheaume kill to level the playing field at 15-all. 
• The game of runs continued and in Emerson's favor as it rattled off seven straight points to gain a hefty 22-15 advantage. 
• Suffolk looked to stay alive and did with a late rally, outscoring the Lions, 5-1, to come within three, 23-20. 
• The Lions composure paid off and they sandwiched points around a kill from Mullahy to take the stanza, 25-21.   

SET THREE RECAP (25-23, EMERSON)

• Suffolk scored the first point for the first time on the evening. 
• Things quickly turned in Emerson's favor, 7-2. 
• Point-by-point the Rams fought back and did just that. Thanks to a 7-2 run, the blue-and-gold knotted the set at 9-9. 
• A heated battle continued as the score locked up four times and the lead swapped twice.  
• With Suffolk's sweeping fate looming and Emerson ahead 20-15, the Rams continued to claw back.
• Three points in a row helped Suffolk's cause to slice the deficit back to two, 20-18. 
• From there see-saw action ensued before another Rams' 3-0 run made it a one-point set, 23-22. 
• Similar to how the second set ended, Emerson traded points with the blue-and-gold to take the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-0.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• A well-balanced attack was led byFabiano's eight-kill effort with Mullahy and Rheaume pitching in five and four, respectively.
• Harmony Johnson, the reigning GNAC Rookie of the Week, handed out 18 assists to go with five digs and one kill. 
• Kenzley Bell anchored the defense with 15 digs and served three aces.   

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Emerson played in a three-set match for the 12th consecutive contest.  

POST-MATCH PIC
  

COMING UP
Suffolk takes one day off before returning the hardwood in the basement of the Ridgeway Building when it hosts Lelsey in a 7 p.m. tangle Thursday, Sept. 12.