Sharp offense and strong defensive play send Skyhawks through to semifinals

Erin Johnson totaled 14 kills for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

EASTON, Mass. (November 9, 2010) – Fifth-seeded Stonehill College, ranked ninth in this week’s NCAA Division II East Regional poll, stunned fourth-seeded American International College 3-1 (26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23) in the quarterfinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Volleyball Championship on Tuesday.

In four fiercely contested sets, Stonehill spun together a sharp offensive attack and a tenacious defensive performance to claim the upset victory over the Yellow Jackets, currently ranked fourth in the East Regional poll. Senior Erin Johnson (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) powered the Skyhawk offense with 14 kills, and senior Laura Noonan (Hampstead, N.H./Bishop Guertin) hammered 10 kills at a .400 hitting percentage and added four total blocks. Senior Anna Berthiaume (Somersworth, N.H./Somersworth) and freshman Kirsten Arvidson (Andover, Mass./Andover) each contributed eight kills, and junior Laura Huselton (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) and freshman Sydney Maxey (Hutto, Texas/Hutto) landed seven apiece.

Five players collected double figures in digs as Stonehill consistently came up with key saves at the net and the back corners to keep rallies alive. Maxey led the way with 23, senior Justine Thompson (Merrimack, N.H./Bishop Guertin) added 17, Huselton chipped in 14, and senior Andrea Wirth (Mesa, Ariz./St. Mary's) and sophomore Erin Kelly (Tinley Park, Ill./Marist) each registered double figures in digs and assists.

Sydney Maxey and Justine Thompson teamed up to keep several long rallies alive at the corners. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

The Yellow Jackets had four players record double figures in kills, led by 14 from junior Ellisha Terry (Fort Worth, Texas/Everman Joe C. Bean) and 13 from senior Keziah Kashouh (West Warwick, R.I./West Warwick), but were sunk by the Stonehill defensive performance and by attack percentages under .100 in the first two sets. Freshman Caitlin Connelly (Holbrook, N.Y./St. Anthony's) led all players with 28 digs for American International, and freshman Blair Havron (Pukalani, Hawaii/King Kekaulike) had four total blocks.

After a back-and-forth beginning, Stonehill opened a 17-10 lead in the first set when Noonan landed a pair of kills on the American International sideline, and stretched it to an eight-point advantage, their largest of the game, after Maxey drilled an attack to the back left corner. The Yellow Jackets battled back with a five-point run on Connelly’s serve to knot the score at 24-24, but Stonehill held off the rally as Noonan added another kill and Kelly finished the game with an ace.

The Skyhawks held the momentum in the second set as Noonan, Arvidson and Huselton combined for two straight blocks early on, and Johnson led the offensive attack with a strong showing on the right side. The set was tied again late at 21-21, but American International committed four straight errors to end the game.

Stonehill took the lead again in the third set behind five kills from Berthiaume, but American International overcame a late three-point deficit with three kills from Terry to take the third set and extend the match. Johnson turned up the pressure on the Yellow Jackets in the fourth set with five kills, and after Stonehill outlasted a long rally with key digs from Thompson and Maxey at the back corners, Arvidson put down two kills from the right side of the net to end it.

Stonehill (16-12, 11-4 NE-10) will visit the University of New Haven in the semifinal round on Friday.

Below: head coach Lauren Amundson comments on the upset victory.