Craig Kolek earns career win #300 as Raiders sweep Tri-Match

(Nashua, NH) In his 15th Season as the Head Coach of the Rivier University Women's Volleyball program, Craig Kolek has achieved a feat that only 19 other WVB Head Coaches have reached... 300 career wins. Kolek becomes the second New Hampshire Division III Head Coach to achieve this historic milestone as Keene State's Bob Weiner also has over 300 wins.

With 298 wins entering today's action, the Raiders needed to defeat both Johnson and Wales University and Norwich University to reach 300. It took only six sets over two games but the team was able to deliver their Head Coach with wins #299 and #300.

Game One: Rivier University 3, Johnson & Wales University 0 (Final)

Senior Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) and freshman Molly McCormack (Ballston Lake, NY) combined for 17 kills as the Raiders took three straight sets from the Wildcats by scores of 25-20, 25-20 and 25-22.

Peacock collected 9 kills and 6 total blocks in the morning game as she inches her way to 1,000 career kills. McCormack added 7 kills and 16 digs in the winning effort. Sophomore Emily O'Reilly (San Francisco, CA) was magnificent as she provided 27 assists and senior Jessica Amaral (East Providence, RI) had the game high with 21 digs. Rivier also got five kill performances from seniors Nicole Boucher (Windham, NH), Morgan Peck (Sudbury, MA) and sophomore Jackie Pisecco (Chelmsford, MA).

The Wildcats attack was led by Alyssa Drapeau, who recorded the game high of 11 kills. Both Kellen Tensen and Kasey Higgins added double-digit assists and Giselle Cram tied Amaral with the game high of 21 digs.

Game Three: Rivier University 3, Norwich University 0 (Final)

Needing just five kills to reach 1000, Peacock obtained the feat as her kill in the second set for the team's 13th point elevated her into the illustrious club. Peacock joins Kenna Finlayson '13 (1,912), Nicole Hersey '09 (1,215) and Kori Chace '08 (1,110) as the only female members of the Rivier Volleyball 1,000 kill Club.

Peacock finished the game with six kills as the Raiders were able to take care of business against Norwich University by scores of 25-12, 25-17 and 25-16.

Freshman Chelsey Hussey (Lebanon, CT) was the star of the game as she collected seven kills and six service aces. She single handedly brought the Raiders from a 9-7 deficit in game one to a 19-9 advantage over her 12 serves. During that span, half of her serves went for aces.

Fellow freshman Lauren Silverman (Chelmsford, MA) added five kills while McCormack registered a .400 hitting percentage in just two sets played. O'Reilly contributed with 29 assists to go along with seven service aces and sophomore Nikki Deluga (Cotuit, MA) recorded 11 digs – a team high.

Norwich got a strong performance from Alex Palmer who led the attack with 8 kills and 4 digs. Corinne Baita had 20 assists and the trio of Angie Hershberger, Baita and Alex Ruediger all tied Palmer with 4 digs for the team high.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Raiders as they will be back on the court Monday afternoon as they host Albertus Magnus College. The GNAC matchup will start at 1pm inside the Muldoon Gymnasium.