Houghton & Elmira Win E8 Match; Ithaca, Stevens & Utica Win Non-Conference Match

10/8/2014 10:07:00 PM

HOUGHTON 3, ST. JOHN FISHER 1
Houghton improved to 11-9 on the year and 3-3 in the Empire 8 with a 3-1 win over St. John Fisher College (9-14, 2-4) Wednesday night.  

The first set of the evening was one of high intensity, where the "win by 2" rule was implemented. Tied 24-24, Hattie Burgher and Naomi Prentice were able to confirm the Highlander win by producing the last two points--one kill each. 

With the 1-0 match lead, the Highlanders found themselves leading by a small 2 point (20-18) margin in the second set. While leaving the Cardinals stalled at 18 points, the Highlanders were able to win the game as a result of 5 consecutive kills--winning set two 25-18. 

The momentum of the first two set wins did not carry into the third set for the Highlanders as the Cardinals bounced back for a 25-20 win.

Houghton was able to claim the victory in the fourth set of the match as they rallied the last six points consecutively, confirming the 25-19 victory. 

Burgher earned a double-double by having 16 kills and 19 digs. Jaclyn Algier followed on the offensive end with 10 kills. While Alyssa Quimby had 14 digs, 30 additional digs were credited to Laurel Wroblicky. 

Fisher freshman Madison Karwas led her team with a career-high 18 kills. Megan Miller finished with 11 kills, while freshman Anna Marcy added 10.  Brooke Meader dished out a team-high 31 assists, while Erica Stickler finished with 11.

Erin Crandall totaled 20 digs, while freshman Katie Mazierski finished with 17.  Marcy and Karwas both added eight digs apiece.


ELMIRA 3, ALFRED 1
Kelsey Ross '16 of the Elmira College women's volleyball team (4-15, 2-4 E8) logged a career-high 16 kills to pace the Soaring Eagles to a 3-1 win over visiting Alfred University (4-18, 0-6 E8).  
 
Elmira's win gives the Soaring Eagles two consecutive victories, both of which occurred on Elmira's home court at Speidel Gymnasium, bringing EC's home record this season to an even .500.  Ross, who usually serves as Elmira's libero, made the move to outside-hitter tonight, a strategy that paid dividends for the Purple and Gold as she led the Soaring Eagles with 16 kills.  She did not neglect her defensive duties either tonight as she made nine digs and a solo block.
 
Filling-in for Ross as EC's libero was Samantha Hawksley '16 who continued to show her defensive abilities as she logged 17 kills, tying her career-best.  Sami Hanes '16 also got into the act on defense with 10 digs to go along with 41 assists.  Her 10 digs marks the sixth time this season she has recorded 10 or more. 
 
Ashley Heiman '16 also had a standout night with another double-digit kill effort as she finished tonight's match with 14 kills.  She has had 10 or more kills in four consecutive matches, as well as five out of her last six matches. 
 
Elmira took control of tonight's match early as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead, winning the first set 25-17 and the second 25-11.  EC's dominant second set, 25-11, is the most lopsided set in favor of the Soaring Eagles this season.
 
However, Elmira's convincing win in the second set did not faze the Saxons as they took the third 25-22 and then raced to a 5-1 lead in the fourth.  Eventually, the Soaring Eagles would win 24 of the next 33 points to win the fourth set with ease, 25-14.

Alfred freshman Jacquelynn Hicks had nine kills and three blocks and freshman Aubrey Totsline had 29 assists and a pair of digs to pace the Saxons.
 
Senior Taylor Kiernan added 24 digs; junior Brianna Dudick had eight kills and two blocks; and junior Chelsea Pietrzykowski had seven kills and two blocks.
 

ITHACA 3, Cortland 0
The Ithaca College volleyball team trailed in the early going of each set but went on to a 3-0 win over Cortland on Wednesday night at Corey Gymnasium. Ithaca won by scores of 25-22, 25-19 and 25-23.

In the first set, Cortland led 4-1 in the early going. Ithaca went on a 5-0 run to take a 10-7 lead and Rylie Bean had two kills in that run. The Bombers led the rest of the way. Cortland pulled to within two but Ithaca closed out the set with kills by Bean and Caroline Gerulskis, an ace from Kayla Gromen and a set-ending kill from Joelle Goldstein. The second set started similarly as Cortland took an early 4-1 lead. Ithaca built an 8-6 lead and led the rest of the way. Bean had three kills during a four-point run for Ithaca that saw the Bombers gain control. Ithaca trailed 10-6 in the third set but came back to get the match tied at 15-15. Ithaca held a one-point lead six times in the late stages of the set, and Goldstein had a kill on set point to close out the victory.

Ithaca's statistical leaders included Rylie Bean with a career-high 19 kills on 33 attacks. She hit .515 for the match. Goldstein had 10 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Ithaca hit .291 as a team, and Gerulskis had seven kills. Gromen, the Empire 8 and ECAC Northwest Region Rookie of the week, had 41 assists. Maggie Mutschler had 10 digs for Ithaca, while Bean and Siobhan Sorensen each had a solo block.


STEVENS 3, Vassar 0
The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team extended its winning streak to 10 matches with a sweep of Vassar College on Wednesday evening in Canavan Arena to improve to 18-3 on the season.

Stevens won the contest by set scores of 25-22, 25-13, 25-17, and benefitted from 32 total errors committed by the Brewers. Not appearing in those 32 errors by Vassar were four rotation violations during serve attempts from the Ducks.

The Ducks began the match hitting .324 in the first set, but they tailed off offensively in the final two sets, hitting just .208 and .125, respectively.

Sophomore Mary Tobin was the lone player to reach double-digit kills in the match with 10. Tobin also added seven digs and a match-high three service aces.

Senior Katie Hall swung at a match-best .400 clip with five kills on 10 swings to go along with three digs, an ace and block.

Sophomore Christina Sciarra and freshman Brianna Evans each tallied six kills in the victory. Sciarra added three digs, while Evans chipped in six digs, two aces and a block.

Senior Ashley Castillo handed out 25 assists to lead all players with three digs and two kills, while freshman Sydni Horner registered eight digs to pace Stevens.


UTICA 3, Cobleskill 0
The Utica College volleyball team got back in the win column Wednesday evening as it downed host SUNY Cobleskill 3-0 in non-conference action. 
 
The Pioneers jumped out to a quick start as they took the first set 25-7.  The Fighting Tigers battled back, taking a 10-1 lead in the second set, however  they were not able to even the match as Utica rebounded to win the set 25-20.  UC closed out the night with a 25-18 score in the third and final set as the Pioneers improved to 8-11 on the year. 
 
Junior Laura Homer-Gunther matched her season-high of 10 kills to lead the team, followed by sophomore Brandi Blaszak, who totaled eight kills.  Homer-Gunther also tallied five total blocks to move her season total to a team-best 42.  Junior Lora Allen had an impressive performance as she recorded 26 assists, six kills, three digs and a service ace.
 
Senior Ashley Jones had seven kills, while freshman Samantha Hoerning chipped in with six of her own.  Senior Briona Enny led the team with 11 digs, and freshman Alaina Wickwire had five kills and five digs of her own.