Skyhawks winners of four out of their last five matches

EASTON, Mass. (September 28, 2011) – The Stonehill College women's volleyball team regrouped after dropping its first set to defeat Assumption College, 3-1, by scores of 18-25, 25-21, 25-18 and 25-12 in Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) action on Wednesday night at Merkert Gymnasium.

Sophomore outside hitter Sydney Maxey (Hutto, Texas/Hutto) led the Skyhawks with a double-double, her ninth of the season, tallying 15 kills and 14 digs. Freshman setter Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Ill./York) facilitated the offense with a match-high 42 assists to go along with four kills and 12 digs.

Senior outside hitter Laura Huselton (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) contributed 12 kills and nine digs while freshman middle-blocker Mary-Kate Catton (San Diego, Calif./Academy of Our Lady of Peace) added 10 kills, one assist and three digs. Junior libero Erin Kelly (Tinley Park, Ill./Marist) fell one dig shy of the match-high with 21 on the evening.

For Assumption, sophomore Mary Johnston (Pearland, Texas/Glenda Dawson) led the team in kills with 14 on 41 total attacks. Classmate Kristin Flatekval (Mahwah, N.J./Immaculate Heart) dished out 30 assists and added 11 digs while teammate Lauren Ostafin (Avon, Conn./Avon) compiled seven kills and 15 digs. Junior libero Steph Whooten (Norton, Mass./Bishop Feehan) set the match-high in digs with 22.

After dropping the first set, Stonehill's offensive efficiency picked up in every set thereafter from a .111 hitting percentage in the second set to .233 in the third and .393 in the fourth.

Tied 21-21 in the second set, freshman defensive specialist Mary Nelson (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) jumpstarted the Skyhawks offense notching back-to-back service aces to take a 23-21 lead. Nelson held serve for the remainder of the set as Iverson assisted Maxey on a pair of booming kills to claim a 1-1 tie overall and some momentum in the match.

Ahead 8-7 in the third set, Stonehill went on a 14-5 run as Maxey and Catton combined for six kills (three each) to open a 22-12 gap and an eventual third set win.

The Skyhawks used a combined nine kills from Maxey and Catton and a 17-4 run in the third set to pull away with the match.

Stonehill (13-2, 2-0 NE-10) hosts a tri-match on Saturday, October 1 against Franklin Pierce at 11 a.m. and Mercy College at 4 p.m. on Alumni Day at Merkert Gymnasium. Assumption (4-12, 0-5 NE-10) takes on Pace University in NE-10 action at home on Sunday, October 2 at 2 p.m.

- www.stonehillskyhawks.com -