Nazareth and Stevens Post Sweeps

Nazareth and Stevens Post Sweeps

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NAZARETH 3, RIT 0
 Senior Kassandra Buseck and sophomore Cady Messmer each recorded seven kills Wednesday as visiting Nazareth dominated RIT in a non-conference women's volleyvball match by winning in three sets. Scores were 25-14, 25-21, 25-20.

The Golden Flyers have won 11 of their last 12 matches and stand at 19-6 overall after defeating RIT for the second time this season. RIT is 13-11.

Nazareth dominated from the outset by posting a .423 hitting percentage in the opening set (12-1-26) with Buseck getting four kills. RIT had 11 hitting errors in the second set to enable the Golden Flyers to prevail. Junior Jennifer Hicks had three kills and sophomore Rachel Williamson added a pair of service aces as Nazareth won the third set.

Sophomore Madi Wickens finished with 23 assists and Maureen Thayer had nine digs.


STEVENS 3, St. Joseph's 0
The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team took down St. Joseph's College-Long Island in three sets on Senior Night in Canavan Arena on Wednesday evening.

Before the showdown got underway, seniors Ashley Castillo and Katie Hall were recognized for their successful careers in Cardinal & Gray.

Stevens (20-4) cruised to a first set victory by a score of 25-5 before battling St. Joseph's (12-7) to a 27-25 win in set two. The Ducks secured the sweep with a 25-16 triumph in the final set for the team's 15th straight sets win of the year.

The Ducks outhit the Golden Eagles, .247 to -.058, in the contest and scored on eight service aces. Stevens also recorded five total blocks (six assists, two solo) in the match.

In the first set, Stevens jumped out to a 5-0 lead and eventually built its advantage to 21-4 to cap off a 9-0 run before St. Joseph's could get back on the scoreboard. Sophomore Christina Sciarra led the way in the opener with four kills, while Hall and sophomore Mary Tobin recorded two aces each. Freshman Brianna Evans added two kills.

Sciarra finished the night with three kills, three digs, two aces and a block. Hall contributed five kills on a .308 hitting percentage with three blocks.

Tobin and Evans each registered team-highs in kills with nine. Tobin led the Ducks with three aces to go along with three digs, while Evans swung at a team-best .400 clip with seven digs and two blocks.

In set two, the teams were tied 16 times and changed leads on five occasions. The Ducks fell behind by as many as six points at 19-13, but battled back to force set point at 24-23. After four side outs, Stevens completed the comeback on a kill from Evans to win, 27-25. Evans put down three kills over the final four points of the set.

Stevens never trailed in the final game and seized control after scoring the first eight points of the set.

Castillo dished out a match-high 24 assists with four digs, and freshman Sydni Horner paced Stevens with nine digs.

Junior Catie Shelton added seven digs in the win, while classmate Annemarie Thomas chipped in three kills, two digs and one block.


Hamilton 3, UTICA 1
The Utica College volleyball team let a 1-0 lead slip away as it fell to Hamilton College, 3-1, in non-conference action Wednesday evening. 
 
The Pioneers won the first set 26-24 before falling in the next two, 25-19 and 25-21, respectively.  In the fourth set, Utica was facing a 21-14 deficit, before the Pioneers were able to rally to bring the score to 21-19.  A timeout by Hamilton killed Utica's momentum and the visitors were able to hold on to win the set and take the match, 3-1.
 
Junior Laura Homer-Gunther (Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit) and freshman Samantha Hoerning (Farmingville, NY/Sachem East) led UC with nine kills apiece, while senior Ashley Jones (Charlton, NY/Galway) and sophomore Brandi Blaszak (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) combined for six kills and freshman Alaina Wickwire(Towanda, PA/Towanda) tallied five kills.  Wickwire also added ten digs on the evening.  Senior Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) led the team with 24 digs and Lora Allen (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville)had a team-best 26 assists.  Senior Chelsea Lauria (Erieville, NY/Cazenovia) was third on the team with nine digs. 


Keuka 3, ALFRED 0
The Alfred University women's volleyball team dropped an extremely close three-set match on the road to Keuka College Wednesday evening, 13-25, 23-25, 22-25.
 
At one point during the second set, the Saxons (4-21, 0-6 Empire 8) had a commanding 21-15 lead over the Wolfpack (9-11, 7-0 NEAC). Keuka rallied for a 21-20 trailing score but then took a 22-21 lead off an ace from Alissa Walruth who served the entirety of the Wolfpack run.
 
Alfred responded with a two-point hop ahead of the hosts but Keuka would go on to capture the final three points of the second set, winning on an ace from Danielle Alred.
 
Junior outside hitter Brianna Dudick (Somers, NY/Somers) and freshman middle back Jacquelynn Hicks (Greenville, NY/Greenville) led the offense with five and four kills, respectively. Sophomore middle hitter Mary Lou Patnaude (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) followed with three.
 
Freshman defensive specialist Heather D'Andrea (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst Prep) led the Purple and Gold with her play during both offensive and defensive action. "Heather was a huge part of building momentum in our match with her defense and her serving," said Hubbard. "Our blocking came to fruition and our middles, Jackie [Hicks] and Chelsea [Pietrzykowski] were a big part of that."
 
D'Andrea finished the evening with 11 digs, two aces, three block assists, one assist and one kill.
 
Freshman setter Aubrey Totsline (Rochester, NY/Fairport) put up 10 helpers on the evening and added 12 digs and three block assists. Senior libero Taylor Kiernan (Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford) led the low game with 16 digs.
 

Brockport 3, ST. JOHN FISHER 0