Raiders take both in tri-match at Emmanuel

Story Courtesy of Emmanuel Sports Information

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel Women's Volleyball Team split in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match played in the Jean Yawkey Center on Saturday afternoon. Emmanuel shutout Saint Joseph's College (Me.), 3-0, and fell to Rivier College, 3-2. Rivier defeated Saint Joseph's, 3-1, in the middle match of the day. With the split, Emmanuel is now 11-13 on the season and 4-2 in conference play. With a pair of wins, Rivier improves to 9-12 overall and 5-1 in the league. The two losses drop Saint Joseph's to 12-6, 4-4 GNAC.

Rivier College topped Saint Joseph's in the middle match of the afternoon's tri. The Raiders won in four sets, 25-17, 19-25, 25-17, 25-11. Rivier was powered to the win by 22 kills and 11 digs from junior outside hitter Kenna Finlayson (Derry, N.H.).

Emmanuel then took on the Raiders in the final match of the day. The Saints got out to an early lead, backed by the hitting of Stanton and Ross, which forced a timeout by the Raiders with the hosts leading, 11-6. Emmanuel maintained a solid lead for much of the set. Strong offense by Rivier sophomore Nicole Boucher (Windham, N.H.) helped the Raiders claw back and a Boucher kill set the score at 21-20, in favor of the Saints. Three consecutive attack errors by the Raiders gave set-point to Emmanuel at 24-20. Boucher kept the Raiders alive with a cross-court kill to cut the deficit to 24-22. However, another Riv attack error gave the Saints the set at 25-22.

The second set was saw the score knotted at 11-all after an ace by Logan. A kill in the middle by Rivier sophomore Nicole Peacock (Warwick, R.I.) gave the visitors a 15-14 advantage. A kill by Ross and a Rivier attack error put the Saints back on top at 18-17 and forced a Raider timeout.

Consecutive aces from Olsen pushed the EC lead to 22-20. A kill from the left side by Consavage gave Emmanuel a 23-21 edge and forced Riv's second timeout. Two straight points out of the break by the Raiders tied things up at 23-all. The set got knotted again at 25-all after a solo block by Rivier junior Meghan Farrell (Marlborough, Mass.). A huge kill by Ross and a Raider attacking error ended the set at 27-25 and Emmanuel took a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Raiders jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of several Emmanuel miscues. The Saints signaled for their first timeout of the set, trailing 13-8. Out of the timeout, the Saints put together a 7-2 run and tied the set at 15-all. An ace by freshman Christine Durkee (Salem, Conn.) and a kill by Consavage gave the Saints their first lead of the set at 17-15. The Raiders regained momentum and the lead after aces by Finlayson set the score at 19-17, Rivier. An Emmanuel ace by Donnelly and two attack errors by the visitors forced the Raiders to call for a timeout, down 22-20. The visitors manufactured a 5-1 run with consecutive kills by Finlayson sandwiching an Emmanuel timeout and Rivier took set three, 25-23.

A left side kill by Finlayson gave Rivier a 14-11 lead to open set four. An Emmanuel kill by Clare Bucci (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) and consecutive swings by Olsen tied the set at 17-all. The set saw ties again at 18, 19, 20 and 21, before the Raiders went up 23-21 and forced an Emmanuel timeout. A tip by the Raiders and a kill by Finlayson gave Rivier the set at 25-21 and forced a fifth and deciding set.

The fifth set proved to be all Rivier with the Raiders taking an 8-2 lead at the changeover. Poor attacking decisions by the Saints and a kill from the backrow kill by Finlayson put Riv out in front, 11-4. The Raiders owned match point at 14-7 and an Emmanuel serving error ended the contest for the Saints (15-7).

Finlayson once again led the Raiders with a match-high 27 kills, to go along with her 13 digs, 5 aces and 4 blocks. Peacock added 16 kills, while Boucher chipped in with 11 kills and 2 aces in the win. Rivier setter Lauren Saccoccio (Warwick, R.I.) dished out a match-high 53 assists for the victors.

Emmanuel was led by a trio of double-figure hitters. Ross led the way with a double-double effort of 17 kills and 22 digs. Stanton and Olsen added 10 kills apiece. Lee notched 14 digs and Olsen dished out a team-high 22 assists for the Saints.

Emmanuel's next match takes place next Thursday, when the Saints host Gordon College in a 7:00pm start.