Junior Delia Phillips led Stonehill to a 3-2, comeback win at Pace with her 11th double-double of the season (20 digs, 17 kills). |
Junior Delia Phillips posts second straight double-double and 11th this season with 20 digs and 17 kills
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (November 1, 2014) – Junior outside hitter Delia Phillips (St. James, New York/Smithtown East) posted her second consecutive double-double and 11th this season with a match-high 17 kills and team-best 20 digs as Stonehill College overcame a two-set deficit to earn a 3-2 (26-28, 22-25, 25-15, 25-20, 15-7) victory at Pace University this afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference volleyball action at the Goldstein Fitness Center.
Phillips paced the Skyhawks both offensively and defensively, while classmate Kelsey Weymouth (North Attleboro, Massachusetts/North Attleboro) also produced a strong all-around effort with 19 digs, 12 kills, three assists, and a service ace.
Senior setter Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Illinois/York) racked up 47 assists this afternoon, pushing her past the 4000 mark for her career (4046). The three-time All-NE-10 selection also posted a team-best .348 attack percentage with a season-high nine kills to go with eight digs, three block assists, and a service ace.
Senior middle blocker Mary-Kate Catton (San Diego, California/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) turned in her second solid performance in as many days, as she totaled 13 kills and a match-high four block assists, while classmate Meaghan Lee (Hanover, Massachusetts/Notre Dame Academy) finished with nine kills, three digs, and two block assists.
Freshman libero Claire Manuszak (Indianapolis, Indiana/Bishop Chatard) recorded 16 digs and five assists, while senior Mary Nelson (Rochester, New Hampshire/Spaulding) added nine digs and a match-best three service aces.
Pace was led by junior outside hitter Alyssa Marchino (Lindenhurst, New York/Lindenhurst) and freshman outside hitter Sydney Lecker (Littleton, Colorado/Chatfield), who both posted double-doubles for the Setters. Marchino hit a team-best .323 with 11 kills and 17 digs, while Lecker recorded a team-high 12 kills to go with 13 digs.
Senior Emily Iverson recorded 47 assists this afternoon, pushing her career total over 4000 (4046). |
Junior middle blocker Brittani Muller (Esparto, California/Esparto) contributed on both offense and defense with 11 kills while leading all players with four block solos, and classmate Rebecca Italiano (Lynbrook, New York/East Rockaway) tallied a match-high 29 digs.
Pace turned in a .343 attack percentage in the opening frame and benefitted from Stonehill's .167 clip as the home team earned a 28-26 win in the first set. The Skyhawks led 7-2 early, but the Setters fought back to even the score at ten. The set would remain close after that point, with neither team building more than a two-point lead until the Setters held a 19-16 edge on an attack error by Phillips. Pace extended its lead to five, at 22-17, but Stonehill used three Phillips kills to draw even at 24. The set would see two more ties, until consecutive kills from Muller and Lecker ended the frame and gave the home team a 1-0 lead.
Stonehill held a slim 15-11 lead midway through the third set, but the Setters went on a 4-0 run to even the score before eventually pulling ahead 18-16 with the help of several Skyhawk errors. Pace maintained its lead as the teams continued to trade points, until two straight kills by Lecker with the Setters leading 23-22 staked the home team to a 2-0 lead.
Leading 8-7 early in the must-win third frame, Stonehill posted a 5-0 run to take command of the set. Later, the Skyhawks utilized another run, this time a 6-0 streak to go up 24-14, before forcing a fourth set with a 25-15 triumph.
Neither team was able to gain any separation for much of the fourth frame, as the score was tied at four, eight, ten, and 13 before the Skyhawks were able to put together a 4-1 run to take a 17-14 lead, forcing Pace to call a timeout. The Setters chipped away and evened the score at 18, before tying it again at 20 on an attack error by Phillips. That would be the last point the home team would score in the fourth set, however, as Phillips recorded back to back kills before forcing a fifth frame with another kill.
Stonehill took much of the drama out of the fifth and deciding set, as the Skyhawks turned in a .375 attack clip, by far their best of the match, while Pace hit just .038. The Setters won the first two points, but Stonehill responded with an 8-2 run to take control early. Pace pulled to within three (8-5) on a setting error by Iverson, but a 4-0 Stonehill run followed to give the Skyhawks a 12-5 lead. Pace would score two more points, before Weymouth ended the match with her 12th kill of the afternoon.
With today's win, Stonehill (19-5, 10-2 NE-10) moves into a three-way tie atop the NE-10 standings with the University of New Haven and Bentley University. Stonehill returns home for its final two matches of the regular season next weekend. The Skyhawks will host Le Moyne College on Friday night before taking on The College of Saint Rose on Saturday for Senior Day at Merkert Gym. Pace (4-20, 1-10 NE-10) is back in action on Tuesday night at Assumption College.
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