EASTON, MASS. (September 17, 2022)- The Stonehill College women's volleyball team made their home debut of the 2022 season taking on a familiar foe in Saint Michael's of the NE10 and the Skyhawks ended up sweeping the Purple Knights, 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-18). 

Six different Skyhawks recorded five or more kills with Mia Berardino tying her career-high with nine kills. It is her second straight match with nine kills and third time overall this season. Jentry Allen and Amanda Maier each had eight kills and Emma Graves and Lauren McCloskey rounded out the top three with six kills apiece. For Graves, her six kills mark a new Stonehill career-high topping her previous best, five, set in the opening match of the year at UNC Asheville. After setting a new season-high in assists yesterday at Saint Anselm, Molly Turner set a new season-best with 23 assists. She has now posted 20 or more assists in three matches this year and 12 for her career. Delaney Mihelich was right behind her with 17 assists which is a new career-high for the freshman setter. Mihelich has finished with 10 or more assists six times this year.

Defensively, Kristen DeLorenzo led the squad in digs with nine and marked her seventh time this year with five or more digs. Stonehill saw a season-high, 12 block assists that included a season-high, four from McCloskey. Three other Skyhawks chipped in with two block assists including Berardino, Allen, and Kaitlyn Watson. 

Set one saw plenty of early back and forth action and tied at five, the Skyhawks gave themselves some space with a 5-1 spurt that made it 10-6 highlighted by a Berardino kill. After the Purple Knights cut the deficit down to two (12-10), Stonehill went on an 8-1 run that put the match out of reach for the Purple Knights as the squad went up 20-13. During the Skyhawks offensive burst, Allen led the squad with two kills and a service ace. Allen finished with two aces on the day which was her second time this year with two or more aces. The Skyhawks defense also made an impact during the run with block assists from Allen and McCloskey. From that point, Saint Michael's never got closer than six as Graves wrapped up the first set with a kill. 

In the second set, the Skyhawks offense continued where they left off as they raced out to a quick 7-4 lead courtesy of kills from Maier and Graves. Defensively, Graves, McCloskey, Allen, and Watson each chipped in blocks. Later in the frame, the Purple Knights pulled within two (13-11) but again, the Stonehill offense made sure Saint Michael's would not get closer than two after an 8-2 run that made it 21-14. Service aces from Bianca Fitch, Mihelich, and Alayna Rooney spearheaded the run, and Maier, McCloskey, Watson, and Berardino each chipped in kills. After a quick point by Saint Michael's, the purple and white ended the match on a 4-1 stretch that featured a set-ending kill from Maier. 

The Purple Knights got out to an early lead of their own going up 7-4 in the third frame but the Skyhawks pushed back and tied things at seven after a kill by DeLorenzo. Both sides went back and forth and when tied at 10, Stonehill went on a 10-4 stretch to go up six (20-14) that saw two kills from Watson along with kills by Hannah Kemmerer, Berardino, and Allen. Three different Skyhawks also chipped in service aces including McCloskey, Mihelich, and Allen. Stonehill never let Saint Michael's get closer than five the rest of the way as they sealed the match victory with an Allen kill. 

Up Next

Stonehill opens up Northeast Conference play by traveling to Saint Francis (Pa.) University on Friday, September 23 at 5 p.m.

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