Franklin Pierce Upends Women's Volleyball, 3-0
Links: Box Score
RINDGE, N.H. – The Merrimack College women's volleyball team travelled up to Franklin Pierce on Tuesday night looking for its third consecutive victory, but the Ravens pulled away from the visiting Warriors in straight sets from the FPU Fieldhouse. The Navy and Gold fell to 3-4 in the Northeast-10 Conference play, while the Ravens improved to 5-1.
The Basics
Score: Franklin Pierce 3, Merrimack 0 (33-31, 26-24, 25-16)
Records: Merrimack (8-10, 3-4 NE-10) | Franklin Pierce (11-6, 5-1 NE-10)
Location: FPU Fieldhouse | Rindge, N.H.
How It Happened
The Ravens began the match by winning a prolonged opening set. The Warriors controlled the frame early, winning 13 of the first 19 points including a 6-1 run that included four kills from sophomores Mary Kate McCarroll (Harrison, Ohio) and Christina Nye (Plaistow, N.H.).
With Merrimack leading by four points, the Ravens rattled off three unanswered points to make it a 17-16 set. A few points later and the Warriors leading by three again, Franklin Pierce went on an identical run to tie the frame at 20-all. From that point on the squads exchanged points that included 11 separate ties. With the set squared at 31-31, the Ravens won the final two points to take the first set, 33-31.
Merrimack started the second set like they did the first, racing out to a 11-6 advantage. During a 7-2 run, junior Jennifer Cain (Melrose, Mass.) recorded two kills, while McCarroll and Nye contributed a kill apiece. Later on in the set with the Warriors holding a 22-19 lead after a service ace from Madison Burke (San Jose, Calif.), the Ravens clawed back into the frame with a 5-0 run to take a 24-22 lead. The Navy Gold tied the set at 24-all, but Franklin Pierce won the next two points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The hosts led the entire way in the final frame. The Ravens built an 11-6 lead before a Juliette McCall (Torrance, Calif.) kill made it a four-point deficit. Franklin Pierce answered with six of the next eight points to erase any possibility of a Merrimack comeback. The straight-set victory culminated with a 25-16 win in the final set.
Inside The Numbers
- Nye led the way offensively with 12 kills with only six errors on 28 total attacks for a .214 hitting percentage. She totaled 12 digs as well for her fourth double-double of the season
- Cain joined Nye in double figures with 10 kills and 10 digs for her second straight double-double and seventh overall this season. Tuesday marked only the third time in the last 13 matches that Cain did not lead the team in kills
- Coming off a week that saw her earn NE-10 Libero of the Week, Burke led the all players with 16 digs. The Warriors finished with seven more digs and only two fewer kills than the Ravens
- Junior setter Tara Stuhr (Huntington Beach, Calif.) tied for the match high with 40 assists. She also collected one of two service aces on the night for Merrimack
Up Next
The Navy and Gold return home on Friday night as the Warriors take on American International in NE-10 action at 7 p.m. from Hammel Court.
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