Volleyball Drops Season Opening Tri-Match

By Press release submission

Aug 31, 2022

The Assumption University dropped two tight matches in their season-opening tri-match against Mercy College and Southern Connecticut State University Friday evening.

THE BASICS

Score: Mercy College 3, Assumption 1 | SCSU 3, Assumption 1

Records: Greyhounds (0-2, 0-0 NE10) | Mavericks (2-0, 0-0 EC) | Owls (1-1, 0-0 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Match One –Mercy College 3, Assumption University 1

Mercy jumped to an early start, as they ran out to a 4-0 lead before seeing it expand to 7-2. The Mavericks kept a three to five-point lead for most of the set. Assumption made a late push as they got within one multiple times, but Mercy would hold off the Greyhound push, as they took the first set 25-23.

In the second set, the two teams traded points, but it wasn't until the score was 18-17 Mavericks that Assumption rattled off seven straight points to go up 24-18 and eventually won the second set 25-19. The third set was neck-to-neck the entire set, as neither side would gain more than a three-point lead at any part of the go-ahead set. Mercy claimed the third set 25-23.

The Mavericks controlled the fourth set early on, as they raced out to 6-1 and an 11-4 advantage. Assumption would not go quietly as they clawed their way back to take a 19-18 lead, but that was short-lived, as Mercy took seven of the following eight points to take the deciding fourth set, 25-20.

Match Two –Southern Connecticut State University 3, Assumption University 1

In their second match of the day, the Greyhounds started fast out of the gates, as they ran out to a 3-0 and a 9-2 advantage. The Owls would try to get close, but Assumption would answer with a longer run. AU would go on to take the first set 25-13.

Southern Connecticut would not waste time at the beginning of the second set, as they jumped out an early 6-1 and 12-3 lead. Assumption slowly chipped away at the deficit, but the Owls held on to win the second set 25-19. In the third set, SCSU strung together four three-plus point stretches to control most of the set. Barbara Illig put together three-straight aces to get Assumption within five (21-16), but Southern Connecticut held on to take the third set 25-18.

The fourth set was neck-to-neck for a significant portion of the set, but it wasn't the score was 16-16 when the Owls picked up five-straight points. That run proved the difference, as SCSU took the fourth set 25-21.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Alexis Distasio (24), Anna Dean (19), and Carly Goodhue (15) had double-digit kills on the day, while Barbara Illig led the Greyhounds with ten aces.
Kyra Belden paced the team with 32 assists, while Brandi Montoya (31) and Illig (22) had 20+ digs.
Between the two matches, Assumption registered 31 service aces, while their opponents only recorded 13.

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