Women's Volleyball: #2 Rivier advances to GNAC Tournament Semifinals

(Nashua, N.H.) The Rivier University Women's Volleyball team, who entered the 2018 Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament as the overall second seed, swept visiting seventh seeded Emmanuel College, 3-0 this evening in the GNAC Tournament Quarterfinals. The Raiders are now 26-6 on the season and have advanced to their 17th consecutive GNAC Semifinals. The Saints' season comes to an end with a 9-18 overall record.

Rivier earned the victory by set scores of 25-16, 25-17 and 26-24.

Graduate Courtney Collins (Litchfield, N.H.) led the all-around effort for the Raiders as she tallied the game-high with 12 kills while registering a .429 hitting percentage on the offensive side and recorded six total blocks and a dig defensively. Freshman Sydney Racevicius (Woodbury, Conn.) chipped in with an eight-kill, nine-dig effort as junior Taylor Dunster (Sutton, Mass.) provided additional help with her seven-kill, eight-dig night. Senior Hayley Macken (Clifton Park, N.Y.) directed the offense with 30 assists and also obtained the game-high with 11 digs.

Senior Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.) was the leader for Emmanuel as she accumulated a team-high 8 kills while classmate Casey Sheehan (Medway, Mass.) hammered down six kills and scooped up nine digs. Senior Carly Church (Higganum, Conn.) dished out 20 helpers and picked up seven digs in the loss with fellow senior Katharine Journeay (Hampton, N.H.) matching Macken for the game-high of 11 digs.

Rivier will now host third seeded Colby-Sawyer College on Thursday night. Colby-Sawyer defeated Simmons University, 3-1 to advance to the Semifinals. Game time is set for 7pm at the Muldoon Gymnasium.