Sophomore Delia Phillips was the only Northeast-10 player to record over 300 kills and 300 digs this season. |
Skyhawks looking to avenge November 12th loss to Falcons
EASTON, Mass. (November 18, 2013) – The sixth-seeded Stonehill College volleyball team will make its fourth consecutive appearance in the Northeast-10 Conference Volleyball Championship tomorrow night at 7 p.m., as Stonehill is set to take on third-seeded Bentley University in the quarterfinal round at Dana Athletic Center in Waltham, Mass.
Admission for tomorrow night's matchup is $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for senior citizens and children and $1.00 for students. Live stats will be available via www.bentleyfalcons.com, and live video will be available for $8 on www.americaonesports.com. The winner will advance to the semifinal to take on the winner of the Merrimack College/The College of Saint Rose contest.
Stonehill enters tomorrow night's quarterfinal match with a 9-5 record in Northeast-10 play, and an overall mark of 17-13. The Skyhawks finished in a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference with Franklin Pierce University and Merrimack, and Stonehill earned the sixth seed by virtue of a win over Merrimack College and a loss at home to Franklin Pierce.
In the regular season, Stonehill ranked second in the conference in kills per set (12.40), assists per set (11.71), and service aces (190). The Skyhawks also ranked third in the NE-10 in total blocks with 209, and fourth in points per set with 15.9.
Stonehill has been led all season by sophomore outside hitter Delia Phillips (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East), who averaged a team-best 3.11 kills per set (fourth in NE-10), as well as 2.99 digs per set, 33 service aces, and 30 blocks for the Skyhawks. Phillips was the only player in the Northeast-10 to record over 300 kills and 300 digs this season, and she led Stonehill with 14 double-doubles in 30 matches in 2013.
Junior setter Emily Iverson has averaged 10.34 assists per set and 2.02 digs per set in 62 frames this season. |
Senior captain Kirsten Arvidson (Andover, Mass./Andover) ranks second on Stonehill with 2.54 kills per set this season, and the right side hitter also contributed defensively with 0.74 blocks per set (third on Stonehill). In the Skyhawks 3-1 victory at Le Moyne College on November 15th, Arvidson hit a match-high .385 with 18 kills and five blocks to help Stonehill secure its fourth consecutive NE-10 Championship berth. With her 18 kill effort, Arvidson also surpassed 1000 kills in her Stonehill career.
Junior setter Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Ill./York) has done a nice job facilitating the Stonehill offense this season, as the 2012 NE-10 All-Second Team selection averaged 10.34 assists per set to go with 2.02 digs per set, 12 blocks, and ten service aces. Her 10.34 assists per set average would be good for second in the NE-10, but Iverson does not qualify for conference statistical leaders because she has played in fewer than 60% of Stonehill's matches. Iverson eclipsed 3000 total assists for her career in Stonehill's win over Le Moyne last weekend.
Junior middle blockers Meaghan Lee (Hanover, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) and Mary-Kate Catton (San Diego, Calif./Academy of Our Lady of Peace) rank first and second on the team in blocks per set, respectively, with 0.82 and 0.79. Catton also checks in at third on the team with 2.20 kills per set, while Lee is fourth with 1.67 kills per set.
Senior captain Sydney Maxey (Hutto, Texas/Hutto), a 2011 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-East Region and Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team selection, ranks second on the club with 3.03 digs per set, and fifth with 1.48 kills per set. Senior libero Jessica Frankowski (Unionville, Conn./Farmington), who reached 1000 career digs in Stonehill's regular season finale at Saint Rose, led the team defensively this year with 3.73 digs per set.
Stonehill has also received solid contributions from freshman setter Taylor Stevens (Foster, R.I./Ponaganset), and sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Weymouth (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro). Stevens, who was recognized as the NE-10 Setter and Freshman of the Week on September 10th, averaged 5.47 assists per set this season when filling in for Iverson, while also averaging 1.89 digs per set and tying for the team lead with 33 service aces. Weymouth registered averages of 1.36 kills per set and 1.84 digs per set, and also added 28 blocks and 25 aces.
Fifth-year head coach Lauren Amundson has guided Stonehill to the NE-10 Tournament in each of the past four seasons. |
Bentley earned the third seed in the NE-10 Championship after finishing the regular season at 11-3 in conference play and 17-9 overall. The Falcons ranked first in the NE-10 with a .216 hitting percentage, and fifth in the conference with 12.20 kills per set. Bentley also checked in at fifth in the conference in assists per set (11.30) and service aces per set (1.75).
Bentley junior Savannah Dominguez (Miami, Fla./Palmer-Trinity) led all NE-10 players this season with a .375 hitting percentage, and the middle blocker also ranked third in kills per set (3.12) and tied for fourth in service aces (37).
Junior setter Alex Tator (Los Angeles, Calif./Marlborough School) finished the regular season at second in the conference with 9.85 assists per set, and junior libero Lauren Colasanti (Northville, Mich./Northville) ranked ninth in the conference with 4.61 digs per set.
When Stonehill and Bentley last met on November 12th, the Falcons dealt the Skyhawks one of their most difficult defeats of 2013. With Bentley leading two sets to one, Stonehill was just one point away from forcing a fifth and deciding set with a six point lead (24-18) in the fourth frame. Bentley scored seven points in a row, eventually winning the set 27-25, and the match 3-1. Dominguez led all players in that match with 17 kills, while Phillips (19 digs, 13 kills) and Iverson (41 assists, ten digs) each posted double-doubles for the Skyhawks.
Stonehill and Bentley split their last two matches prior to Bentley's November 12th triumph, with the Skyhawks winning a 3-0 contest in 2011 and Bentley responding with a 3-0 sweep of its own in 2012.
Last season, Stonehill was eliminated in the quarterfinal round by top-seeded New Haven (3-2), while Bentley did not qualify for the NE-10 Championship with a 6-9 conference record. Bentley leads all NE-10 members with 15 finals appearances and 9 NE-10 Championship titles in program history. Bentley's last title came in 2006, when the Falcons swept Saint Rose in the championship match, 3-0. Stonehill has reached the tournament's semifinal round on six occasions, but has never made it to the championship match.
Tuesday, November 19- Quarterfinals
Match 1: #8 American International at #1 New Haven – 7:00 p.m.
Match 2: #5 Franklin Pierce at #4 Adelphi – 7:00 p.m.
Match 3: #7 Merrimack at #2 Saint Rose – 7:00 p.m.
Match 4: #6 Stonehill at #3 Bentley – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 22 – Semifinals (Final Four hosted by highest remaining seed)
Match 5: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – Time TBD (5:00 or 7:30 p.m.)
Match 6: Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 4 – Time TBD (5:00 or 7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, November 23 – Championship
Match 7: Match 5 Winner vs. Match 6 Winner – 5:00 p.m.
