Volleyball Blanks Assumption 3-0 in Home Opener
NORTH ANDOVER, MA – The Merrimack volleyball team blanked
Assumption College 3-0 Tuesday night for its first victory in the
home opener at the Volpe Athletic Center.
Game scores were 25-11 25-9, 25-15 in the non-conference
battle.
“We're continuing to improve,” said head coach
Joey Pacis. “Overall, it was a good game. The team was ready
and it will be good for their confidence heading into the
Bridgeport Tournament this weekend.”
Merrimack powered its way to victory behind 15 service aces,
including four each from Megan Murray (Rancho Santa
Margarita, CA) and Alyssa Pickert (Tinley Park,
IL).
The Greyhounds took the early 5-4 lead in the first, but the
Warriors rattled off 20 of the next 25 points to quickly turn
around the game and prevail with the 25-11 victory. Freshman
Natalee Yeazle (Blaine, MN) led the way with three
early kills.
They cruised in the second, winning six straight points behind the
serve of Pickert.
With the score deadlocked at three in the third, Merrimack picked
up six straight points with Murray serving, including three aces.
The Greyhounds battled back to cut the lead to five at 19-14,
before the Warriors closed out the match with Murray registering
her first solo block of the evening for the final point.
In addition to her four aces and three blocks, Murray had a
game-high 12 kills, while hitting .526. Yeazle added six kills and
five digs, while Pickert tallied 16 digs and four aces. Outside
hitters Molly Cindric (Westlake Village, CA) and
Shaunda Forcier (Gonic, NH) added five and six
kills respectively, while Elyse Lorenz (Frankfurt,
IL) tallied 23 assists, four digs and two kills.
Merrimack hit .280 overall, including .343 in the first game.
In their first match of the season, the Greyhounds struggled
offensively, with an attack percentage of -.045. Courtney Stratton
had a team-best 10 kills, while Steph Whooten had 12 digs.
The Warriors (1-1) head to the Bridgeport University Tournament
this weekend with Friday matches against UMass Lowell (1 p.m.) and
Holy Family (5 p.m.).
