MOREHEAD, Ky. (August 25, 2023)- The Stonehill College women's volleyball team concluded their season-opening doubleheader day at the Morehead State Eagle Challenge with matches against the host Morehead State and USC-Upstate at Johnson Arena. In Friday's first match, the Skyhawks fell to the Eagles, 3-0 (20-25, 13-25, and 15-25), and in the second contest, USC Upstate topped Stonehill 3-0 (23-25, 21-25, 17-25). 

Morehead State 3, Stonehill 0

(20-25, 13-25, 15-25)

In Friday's opening match, Stonehill's freshman Lauren MacKellar made her debut for the Skyhawks starting on the right side and notching six kills to match junior Emma Graves for a team-high. Senior Kristen DeLorenzo tallied seven digs from the libero spot with fellow senior Skylar Hanley not far behind with five digs of her own. Sophomore Delaney Mihelich also posted five digs starting for the Skyhawks at setter and serving up nine assists to lead the team. Matching Mihelich's nine assists was newcomer Amaya Parnell as the freshman setter made her debut off the bench for Stonehill, also tallying four digs.

SET 1 | Morehead State opened the match with the first six points and never looked back, building their lead up to 10 early in the set (14-4). As the match went on, Stonehill cut the deficit to five (15-10) after a 6-1 run. The Skyhawks were able to keep the deficit to five for the remainder of the set, going back and forth with the Eagles until they were able to cut it to four points (24-20). Morehead closed out the set on the next point, overcoming a 4-1 run from Stonehill.

SET 2 | Set two started off with both teams going back and forth, with the Skyhawks and Eagles matching each other for the first eight points (4-4). Morehead State scored the next three points, catapulting them to an 11-4 run and giving them a seven-point lead (15-8).  The next three points came from the Skyhawks to trim the deficit to four but was countered by the Eagles who scored eight of the next nine points for their largest lead of the match (23-12). The Skyhawks would notch one more point before succumbing to the Eagles in the second set, 25-13.

SET 3 | Stonehill would start the final set with three of the first four points, eventually building up to their largest lead of the match, four points (9-5). The host school would go on to score six points unanswered to take their first lead of the final set (10-9). After the Skyhawks tied it at 10, the Eagles scored nine straight points to take a 19-10 lead. Stonehill recorded five more scores but was unable to overcome the deficit as Morehead State closed out the match in three sets, 25-15.

USC Upstate 3, Stonehill 0

(23-25, 21-25, 17-25)

SET 1 | The beginning of the first set was as close as it with the teams going toe to toe for the first 20 points of the opening frame (10-10). From there, USC Upstate went on a 9-2 run, building a seven-point lead (19-12). Stonehill responded with a run of their own, coming within three points of the Spartans after senior Lauren McCloskey capped off the scoring with back-to-back kills to make the score 23-20. The Skyhawks came all the way back to be within one point of USC Upstate (24-23) but the Spartans tallied the final point to take the first set, 25-23.

SET 2 | The second set started off with USC Upstate scoring three of the first four points before leveling out at seven points apiece. The Spartans scored the next five points to build a 12-7 lead before the duo of MacKellar and McCloskey each tallied a kill off of Mihelich assists to spark a 6-0 run for the Skyhawks, giving Stonehill the lead (13-12). Three more points for the Skyhawks gave them their largest lead of the match (16-13) before the Spartans tied the score at 17 points. With the score tied, USC Upstate went on to score three consecutive points (20-17) and didn't look back, winning the set 25-21.

SET 3 | The score was close to begin the final set as the teams exchanged points with the score being knotted up at 4-4 early on. The Spartans would score the next four points before being matched by four consecutive points from the Skyhawks (8-8). USC Upstate would go on a 6-1 run to build their largest lead of the set (14-9). Stonehill would keep the set close, closing the gap to just one point (16-15) before the Spartans responded with seven of the next eight points (23-16). USC Upstate's lead proved to be too much as the Skyhawks were unable to come back, falling 25-17 to conclude the doubleheader.

Up Next

Stonehill returns to action Saturday morning at 11 a.m. for the conclusion of the Eagle Challenge when they take on Queens (N.C.) at Johnson Court. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gymnasium for their home opener on Wednesday, August 30 at 7 p.m. when they host the Bryant Bulldogs for a non-conference match.

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