Stonehill Survives Five-Set Thriller Against Le Moyne, 3-2


Junior Delia Phillips recorded a career-high 25 kills and ten digs for her third straight double-double and 12th this season in Stonehill's 3-2 win over Le Moyne tonight.

Junior Delia Phillips turns in 12th double-double of 2014 with career-high 25 kills and 10 digs

EASTON, Mass. (November 7, 2014) – Junior outside hitter Delia Phillips (St. James, New York/Smithtown East) registered her third consecutive double-double and 12th overall this season with a career-high 25 kills and ten digs as Stonehill College posted a thrilling, 3-2 (24-26, 25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 19-17) victory over Le Moyne College this evening in Northeast-10 Conference volleyball action at Merkert Gymnasium.

Phillips, who turned in a pair of double-doubles last weekend in wins at Adelphi University and Pace University, continued her strong play tonight. The junior currently ranks third in the NE-10 with 3.37 kills per set to go with 2.72 digs per frame.

Freshman middle blocker Katherine DeLanty (Smithtown, New York/Smithtown West) also enjoyed a career night, as she hit a match-best .444 with a career-high 14 kills and six total blocks (one solo). Senior middle blocker Mary-Kate Catton (San Diego, California/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) tallied 12 kills, seven blocks (one solo), six digs, and two service aces, while freshman outside hitter Ashley Hitchcock (Warrenville, Illinois/Benet Academy) recorded 11 kills, nine digs, and two aces.

Senior setter Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Illinois/York) racked up a season-high 58 assists to go with 12 digs and two block assists for her seventh double-double of the season and first since October 18th. The three-time All-NE-10 selection has now eclipsed the 50-assist mark in five matches this fall.


Senior setter Emily Iverson eclipsed the 50-assist mark tonight for the fifth time this season, as she recorded a season-high 58.

Freshman libero Claire Manuszak (Indianapolis, Indiana/Bishop Chatard) posted a team-best 13 digs, while senior Mary Nelson (Rochester, New Hampshire/Spaulding) and sophomore Abby Harte (Dover, New Hampshire/Dover) finished with 11 and ten, respectively.

Le Moyne was led offensively by sophomore middle hitter Allegra Lee Bell (Baldwinsville, New York/C.W. Baker), who hit a team-high .424 with 17 kills to go with six block assists and three digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Natalie Casson (Kingman, Arizona/Kingman) recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 17 digs, while classmate Andrea Buchanan (Hamburg, New York/Hamburg) tallied a team-high 18 kills and seven digs.

Sophomore libero Annie Stoklosa (Victor, New York/Our Lady of Mercy) led all players with 25 digs, and senior setter Megan Maisonet (Pine Bush, New York/Pine Bush) dished out 55 assists while also chipping in with 12 digs and four blocks (one solo).

Le Moyne jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a tight opening set victory after posting an impressive .366 attack clip. The Dolphins led early in the frame, but Stonehill pulled even at 12-12 and the set remained close after that point. The Skyhawks led by scores of 20-17 and 22-20, before a kill from Casson sparked a 3-0 run that allowed the visitors to take a 23-22 lead. The set would see one more tie, at 24-24, but a Stonehill service error followed by another kill from Casson ended the opening frame in the Dolphins favor.

The Skyhawks responded by hitting a match-best .429 in the second set en route to a 25-16 win. With Stonehill leading 6-5, the Skyhawks posted a 5-0 run with two kills from Phillips and two from DeLanty to take control of the frame. Le Moyne pulled as close as three, at 13-10, but the Skyhawks outscored the visitors 12-6 the rest of the way to even the match.

The Dolphins regained control of the contest in the third set with a 25-22 triumph. They took an early 2-1 lead on a kill by Casson, and did not trail the rest of the way, leading by as many as six (18-12). Stonehill continued to fight, eventually cutting its deficit to two (21-19), but the Skyhawks were unable to get any closer.


DeLanty

Neither team was able to create much separation early in the fourth set, until Stonehill used a 3-0 run to extend its lead to four (15-11). Le Moyne battled back and evened the score at 17, but Stonehill responded with a 4-1 run to regain a 21-18 lead, forcing the Dolphins to use a timeout. Le Moyne was able to pull to within one on two separate occasions after that point, but Stonehill held the Dolphins off to force a fifth and deciding set.

The fifth frame was a back and forth affair, with Le Moyne taking a 5-1 lead early and Stonehill bouncing back to tie it up at eight as the teams switched sides of the court. The set would see seven more ties, until the Dolphins drew to within a point of winning the match (17-16) on an attack error by Phillips. Following a Stonehill timeout, Phillips lifted the Skyhawks to victory with three consecutive clutch kills.

With its win tonight, Stonehill (20-5, 11-2 NE-10) moves back into a tie atop the NE-10 standings with the University of New Haven. Stonehill, ranked second in the latest NCAA East Region Rankings, will wrap up its regular season tomorrow afternoon, as the Skyhawks are set to host The College of Saint Rose at 1 p.m. for Senior Day at Merkert Gym. Le Moyne (10-12, 7-6 NE-10) is right back in action tomorrow as well, as the Dolphins will head to Bentley University to cap their regular season slate with a 1 p.m. contest.

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