Sydney Maxey recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Maxey and Berthiaume are strong again for Skyhawks

EASTON, Mass. (October 30, 2010) – The Stonehill College volleyball team fell 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 20-25, 19-25) to visiting University of New Haven in a Northeast-10 Conference match on Saturday.

After dropping the first set, Stonehill put up a strong offensive performance to take the second game, but New Haven rallied back with two set wins for the overall victory. For the second day in a row, the Skyhawk offense was led by freshman Sydney Maxey (Hutto, Texas/Hutto), with 12 kills and 15 digs, and senior Anna Berthiaume (Somersworth, N.H./Somersworth), who notched 12 kills at a .333 hitting percentage.

The Chargers got double figures in kills from four players, topped by sophomore Keidy Candelaria (Vega Baja, P.R./Bayamon Military Academy), who recorded 15 kills and 20 digs. Junior Elizabeth Akinbiyi (Miami Gardens, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna Prep) added 12 kills, and sophomore Tymika Duncan (Trinidad, West Indies/St. Joseph’s Convent) and senior Sara Malmlov (Lindesberg, Sweden/Sheridan College) chipped in 11 each.

The Skyhawks fell in the first set but regained momentum in the second, rallying to a 25-23 victory paced by four kills from Maxey, three from freshman Kirsten Arvidson (Andover, Mass./Andover), and a pair of tipped floaters from Berthiaume that landed behind the New Haven front line for kills.

Stonehill had an 18-16 lead late in the third set, but New Haven climbed back to take nine of the final 11 points behind three kills from Akinbiyi. A late run on Malmlov’s serve in the fourth set clinched the game and the match.

Stonehill (12-12, 8-4 NE-10) is back in action at home on Tuesday against Southern New Hampshire University at 7 p.m.