Freshman setter Wilke notches two double-doubles 

Wilke averaged 9.57 assists and 4.43 digs in two matches, while tallied her first- and second-collegiate double-doubles

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (August 25, 2018) – The Stonehill College volleyball team dropped two matches in its opening day of play against Saint Anselm College, 3-1, and Shepherd University, 3-0 in Manchester, New Hampshire at Stoutenburg Gym on Saturday.

Match 1: Saint Anselm College 3 – Stonehill 1

Four Skyhawks reached double-digit kills, including senior Allyson Hughes (Modesto, California/Big Valley Christian) who totaled a match-high 16 kills. Freshman Abby Remick (Chepachet, Rhode Island/Ponaganset) tallied 11 kills, while senior Megan Pennino (Wantagh, New York/Wantagh) and sophomore Sophia Poveda (Miami, Florida/Westminster Christian School) notched 10 kills each. Freshman setter Lauren Wilke (Blue Point, New York/Bayport – Blue Point) registered her first-collegiate double-double with 45 assists and 17 digs. The Hawks won its first match of the season with set scores of 23-25, 25-22, 18-25, 27-19.

Stonehill outhit Saint Anselm in the first set with a .317 hitting average compared to the Hawks' .270 hitting average for a 25-23 win, putting the Skyhawks on top 1-0.

The beginning of the second set saw Saint Anselm on a 7-0 run, but Stonehill was able to fight back and take a two-point lead, 10-8, before the Hawks came back on top, 12-10. The frame was tied eight times after, as Saint Anselm ran with four-straight points for a 25-22 win, tying the match, 1-1.

The Skyhawks once again battled in the third set, but Saint Anselm's highest hitting percentage of the match, .303, led them to a 25-18 win, to lead 2-1.

Stonehill was able to see a 10-8 lead in the fourth frame and four lead changes after, but was able to keep a two-point lead, 24-22. The Hawks saw a 7-3 run to wrap up the set winning it 29-27.

Match 2: Shepherd University 3 – Stonehill 0

Hughes led the Skyhawks once again, this time with 12 kills, tying a match-high, while Wilke tallied her second-career double-double with 22 assists and 14 digs. Senior Ruby Moreland (Minneapolis, Minnesota/Hopkins) chipped in four blocks, matching a career-high, as Wilke added in three blocks.

Shepherd kicked off the first set with a 5-0 run and Stonehill was only able to come within one, 19-18, before the Rams ran with a 6-4 run to win the opening frame, 25-22.

The Skyhawks saw its first lead of the match in the second set, 2-1, and extended it to three, 7-4. Stonehill was only able to see one more lead, 13-12, and one tied score, 18-18, before Shepherd went

Moreland tied her career best in blocks, tallying four against Shepherd

on a 7-5 run to win 25-23 and leading 2-0.

Eleven tied scores and six lead changes was the game decider in the third set. Shepherd tied the set at 17 and went on an 8-3 run to close the match with a 25-20 third game.

Stonehill heads to Manchester, New Hampshire tomorrow, Sunday, August 25 for a single match against Southern New Hampshire University at SNHU Fieldhouse for a 1:00 p.m. battle.

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