Posted: Sep 07, 2024
BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball rolled past Rutgers Newark in straight sets Saturday morning to open up its home schedule and Military Appreciation Day at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court. The victory came by set scores 25-10, 25-12 and 25-19.
The win pushed the blue-and-gold to a 4-0 start on the year, its best dating back to 2001.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Rutgers Newark 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (3-0) | Rutgers Newark (2-3)
SET ONE (25-10, SUFFOLK)
- Down 7-5, kills by Isabelle Huzar and Grace Cervenka locked the playing field at 7-all.
- Four quick points from the blue-and-gold pushed the host ahead 10-7.
- The teams traded points before the Rams rattled off 12 unanswered to take a lopsided lead, 23-9. That run was with Jayla Martinez at the service line, where the senior served three aces in the stretch. Sami Shore, meanwhile, supplied two solo blocks and a kill.
- Shayla Moody ended Suffolk's scoring with a kill of her own before Jasmine James and Chloe Clement knocked down back-to-back kills to lock up the set.
SET TWO (25-12, SUFFOLK)
- Suffolk jumped out to a 7-1 advantage that was cut down to a pair after Rutgers Newark pieced together a 5-2 spurt.
- Scott Blanchard took a timeout to help and the huddle paid off to pad the margin to three, 12-9, which forced the Scarlet Raiders to use a timeout of their own.
- This time, the break sparked five straight Suffolk points that pushed host in front, 17-9. Martinez supplied two aces to the stretch.
- The Scarlet Raiders responded with three consecutive points to cut the gap to five, 17-5.
- It was all Suffolk from there though as it put up eight in a row to close the second stanza, 25-12.
SET THREE (25-19, SUFFOLK)
- From a 5-all tie, back-to-back McKenna Keowen kills followed by three aces served by Kathy Mo gave Suffolk a 10-5 upperhand.
- The Rams built a 19-11 cushion that forced Rutgers Newark into a timeout.
- The Scarlet Raiders made things interesting as it compiled a 4-1 run to trim the distance down to five, 20-15.
- See-saw action ensued and thanks to its earlier advantage, Suffolk managed to remain in front to claim the set and match, 25-19.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Keowen paced the attack with nine kills on a .533 attack percentage. She added 10 digs, one ace and one assist.
- Shore supplied eight kills on a .462 connection rate to go along with four blocks and two aces.
- James finished with seven kills, one block, one assist and one dig.
- Emily Norgrove notched six kills behind a .429 attack percentage with one dig to her credit as well.
- Martinez put together an 18-assist, three-dig, five-ace effort.
- Aislinn Lanigan logged 10 handouts and two digs.
- Morgan Kelsey anchored the defense with 12 digs. She added three helpers.
NOTEWORTHY
- At 4-0, Suffolk is off to the best start in the year-by-year record book, which includes every season except 2000 and 2001.
- Suffolk met Rutgers Newark for the second time in program history, first since 2003.
- Suffolk hosted Rutgers Newark for the first time.
- The Rams defeated the Scarlet Raiders for the first time in program history.
- Suffolk moved to 1-1 all-time against Rutgers Newark.
- Suffolk is 1-0 versus Rutgers Newark in the Blanchard era.
- Shore matched a career-high three solo blocks.
- Mo put up personal-bests in aces (3) and digs (2).
- Aislinn Campbell tied a career-high one block.
- Norgrove reset career-highs in kills (6) and attack percentage (.429).
- Chloe Burns made her collegiate debut.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk concludes its Saturday action this afternoon against Eastern Connecticut State at 3:00 p.m.
