Senior setter Emily Iverson totaled 25 assists, 10 digs, and four kills as Stonehill posted a 3-0 sweep at Southern Connecticut State this evening. |
Skyhawks post second consecutive sweep, improve to 7-1 in NE-10 play
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (October 18, 2014) – Junior outside hitters Delia Phillips (St. James, New York/Smithtown East) and Kelsey Weymouth (North Attleboro, Massachusetts/North Attleboro) combined for 15 kills as Stonehill College earned its second sweep in as many days with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-19) victory at Southern Connecticut State University this evening in Northeast-10 Conference volleyball action at Pelz Gymnasium.
A day after cruising to a 3-0 win against Assumption College, Stonehill was back at it this afternoon, posting its sixth sweep of the season while improving to 7-1 in conference play.
Phillips finished with a match-high eight kills and six digs, while Weymouth posted seven kills, ten digs, two assists, and three blocks. Senior Mary-Kate Catton (San Diego, California/Academy of Our Lady of Peace) and freshman Katherine DeLanty (Smithtown, New York/Smithtown West) also chipped in offensively with five kills each.
Three-time All-NE-10 selection Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Illinois/York) dished out a match-best 25 assists to go with ten digs and four kills, while sophomore Taylor Stevens (Foster, Rhode Island/Ponaganset) and freshman Claire Manuszak (Indianapolis, Indiana/Bishop Chatard) recorded 11 digs each.
Southern Connecticut State was led by sophomore outside hitter Nicole Hauser (Stevens Point, Wisconsin/Stevens Point Area), who finished with a team-high seven kills in addition to 11 assists, three digs, and two block assists.
Junior setter Taylor Carlson (Centennial, Colorado/Overland) totaled 12 assists and five digs, while classmate Morgan Carman (Mesa, Arizona/Mountain View) and senior Natasha Carlbert (Southington, Connecticut/Southington) posted 14 and 11 digs, respectively.
Stonehill got off to a strong start in the opening set, building a 9-3 lead before a service error by Phillips began an 8-0 run for the Owls. The Skyhawks came right back with a 4-0 run to regain a 13-11 lead, and the teams would continue to trade points until the score reached 17-17. Stonehill won three of the next four points to take a 20-18 lead, and the Owls would get no closer than one after that point. Southern Connecticut scored their last point of the frame on a kill by Hauser to make it 23-22, before consecutive kills from Weymouth and DeLanty ended the set in Stonehill's favor.
The second set was another back and forth affair, as the frame saw 15 ties and seven lead changes. Stonehill was able to end the set on a 4-1 run following a 21-21 tie, aided by a pair of Southern Connecticut State attack errors and capped off by a kill from Phillips.
The Owls took a 10-7 lead in the third set, but Stonehill posted a crucial 13-0 run to take a commanding 20-10 lead in the must-win frame for the home team. The Owls did make things interesting, winning nine of the next 13 points to make the score 24-19, but Stonehill closed it out with one of Stevens' two kills in the match.
Following this evening's contest, Stonehill (16-4, 7-1 NE-10) will return home to host Merrimack College on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Merkert Gym. Southern Connecticut State (6-14, 3-6 NE-10) is back in action on Thursday night at American International College.
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