Women's Volleyball Wins Thrilling Five-Set Match, 3-2, vs. East Stroudsburg Saturday
Links: Box Score
NEWARK, Del. – The Merrimack College women's volleyball team fought back from a 1-0 deficit against East Stroudsburg University to win in five sets, 3-2, on Saturday night to open up play in the Wilmington University Tournament at the Wilmington University Athletics Complex. The Warriors improved to 2-4 on the year, while East Stroudsburg fell to 4-4.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 3 | East Stroudsburg 2
Records: Merrimack (2-4) | East Stroudsburg (4-4)
Location: Wilmington University Athletics Complex | Newark, Del.
How It Happened
With each side taking two sets apiece through the first four, the out-of-conference contest went to a fifth and final set. The Navy and Gold took an early 7-3 lead, but East Stroudsburg fought back to make it 9-9 through 18 points. Mary Kate McCarroll (Harrison, Ohio) smacked down a kill late in the frame to make it 12-9 in favor of the Warriors. East Stroudsburg proceeded to go on a 5-0 run to take a 13-12 lead, but consecutive kills from Jennifer Cain (Melrose, Mass.) and the match-winning kill from junior Juliette McCall (Torrance, Calif.) secured the victory for the Warriors.
East Stroudsburg opened the first set by winning six of the first eight points to take a 6-2 lead. Kills from Katie Cronin (Methuen, Mass.), and Sofia Basauri (Beaverton, Ore.), along with a Madison Burke (San Jose, Calif.) service ace, made it 8-6 in favor of East Stroudsburg. With the set at 15-14 in favor of the program from the PSAC, East Stroudsburg recorded three straight points to take a four-point lead. East Stroudsburg ended up taking the opener, 25-19.
Merrimack worked its way back during the second set. A service ace from Hannah Pavlik (Monument, Colo.) gave the Warriors their first lead at 5-4. With the Warriors of East Stroudsburg holding a 9-7 lead, Merrimack went on a 7-0 run that included two service aces from McCarroll to give the Warriors a 14-9 advantage. The Navy and Gold did not relinquish the lead the rest of the way, winning by a four-point margin, 25-21.
The third set proved to be a back-and-forth affair. Neither team led by more than three points the entire way. With the score squad eat 24-all, East Stroudsburg took the net point to set up a set point, but a kill from Cain knotted things 25-25. Merrimack secured its first set point, 27-26, but East Stroudsburg extended things by winning the next point. Trailing 28-27, Merrimack won the next three points, including two kills from McCall, to the frame by a 30-28 score.
Midway through the fourth set, the Warriors held a five-point lead, 18-13, before East Stroudsburg used a 7-1 run to take a one-point lead. East Stroudsburg went on to take the fourth set, 25-23, to force a fifth and deciding set.
Inside The Numbers
- Burke posted a season-high 37 digs from the libero position to lead the Navy and Gold. In fact it was the second most digs of her career as Burke fell nine digs shots of her career high, 46, set two years ago in a match against Southern New Hampshire
- Three players posted double-digit totals in kills, led by Cain with 14. McCarroll finished with 13 kills, the first time she's finished with more than 10 in her career and posting a career high. McCall also finished with at least 10 kills, matching McCarroll with 13 of her own
- Stuhr posted a season high 49 assists in the five-set night, averaging nearly 10 helpers per frame. She also recorded her third double-double of the year by notching 11 digs
- Cain joined Stuhr in the double-double category with 16 digs to go along with her 14 kills. Basauri (10) and Pavlik (13) also posted double digits in digs, with Pavlik tying her career high
- First Five-Setter: Merrimack won its first five-set match of the year after winning three of six five-set matches in 2014
Up Next
Merrimack concludes the tournament tomorrow with two matches beginning at 10 a.m. when the Warriors face off against the host Wildcats. The Navy and Gold will then play Dominican (N.Y.) at 2 p.m.
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