Remick and Allen combine for 24 kills as Skyhawks earn first NCAA Tournament win in program history

Remick paced the Skyhawks attack with 14 kills and added three block assists. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 2, 2021) – Third-seeded Stonehill College earned its first NCAA Tournament win in program history, sweeping past sixth-seeded Jefferson University, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-20) in first round action of the 2021 NCAA Division II Tournament East Regional, hosted by American International College, at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium this afternoon.

Stonehill (22-9, 10-3 NE10) advances to tomorrow night's NCAA East Regional semifinal, where it will face No. 2-seeded Daemen College (23-7, 12-0 ECC) at Butova Gym at 5 p.m. The Wildcats rallied from a 2-1 deficit for a five-set triumph over seventh-seeded Bentley University (15-13, 9-4 NE10) in today's second match. Jefferson sees its season come to a close with a 26-5 record overall, including 14-4 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. 

The Skyhawks made history by picking up the first NCAA Tournament win in program history (PHOTO BY Doug Monson/Stonehill Athletics)

Stonehill 3, Jefferson 0
(25-18, 25-15, 25-20) 

Stonehill Leaders

Abby Remick Senior, OH: 14 kills, .273 hitting percentage, 7 digs, 3 block assists.
Lauren Wilke Senior, Setter: Double-double with 19 assists, 13 digs.
Carly Russell Senior, Libero: 19 digs, 3 assists.
Jentry Allen Sophomore, OH: 10 kills, .421 hitting percentage. 

Jefferson Leaders

Kristine Guenther Freshman, Setter: Double-double with 23 assists, 18 digs and three kills.
Sam Mann Freshman, MB: 8 kills, .312 hitting percentage.
Cameron Johnson Freshman, Libero: 12 digs 

Wilke posted her 30th career double-double with 19 assists and 13 digs (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

How it Happened

• Stonehill took quick control of each of the first two sets, hitting .310 as a team in the second set alone to roll to the ten-point decision to move within a set of the second round.
• Stonehill scored the first four points of the match on its way to a 25-18 first set win. Leading by three (7-4), the Skyhawks ran off an 8-3 run to open an eight-point gap (15-7) after back-to-back kills from junior Basia Peragine and Remick.
• Jefferson closed back within three (17-14), largely on the serve of Johnson, after a Stonehill attack error.
• Stonehill called a timeout and closed out the set with am 8-4 run, capped again by back-to-back kills by Peragine and Remick.
• Stonehill took quick control of the second set, scoring four of the first five points on its way to a 12-4 lead which included five-straight point on Romick's serve, with two Allen kills mixed in.
• Jefferson trimmed the deficit to four (18-14) after back-to-back Stonehill attack errors, but the Skyhawks closed the set out with a 7-1 run, including a pair of Peragine kills, with Allen spiking down set point.
• Jefferson fought back from two early three-point deficits with its season on the line and the teams battled back and forth in the tight third set. The Rams led by two (11-9) after a Gianna Napoleon kill, but Stonehill emerged from a timeout to grab another three-point lead (15-12) after a kill from senior Clare Feeman.
• Stonehill went on to open a 22-17 lead after a block from Peragine and sophomore Lauren McCloskey following a Jefferson timeout and then sealed the match with Peragine's eighth kill of the match.

Allen contributed 10 kills with a .421 hitting percentage (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes)

Noteworthy

• Stonehill is making its third NCAA Tournament appearance and earns its first NCAA Tournament victory with the win today, reaching the regional semifinal for the first time after being defeated in the first round in its first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2011 and 2014.
• Stonehill's 22 wins this season are its most since winning a program-record matching 27 matches in 2011 – its first NCAA Tournament season.
• Wilke recorded her 15^th double-double of the season (30^th career).
• Remick logged double-digit kills for the fourth straight match and 21^st match this season overall. She moved into third on the program's single-season kills list with 359 for the season, moving past Delia Phillips, '15's 2013 (356) and 2014 (357) seasons, and trails Sydney Maxey, '12 who ranks second with 374 kills in 2011.
• Allen reached double figures for kills for the seventh time this season, but her first since a three-set win over Saint Michael's College on October 16.
• Russell's 19 digs today extend her program single-season record total to 540 after becoming the first in program history to surpass 500 digs in a season. She enters tomorrow night's match with 978 career digs.

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