Links: Box Score
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Merrimack College women's volleyball program opened up its Division I history on Wednesday evening, facing Providence College of the Big EAST Conference at the Friars' Alumni Hall. The Warriors played well – particularly in the opening two sets that saw Merrimack sit within four points late in the first and hold a lead in the second frame – in their inaugural Division I contest, but the hosts held on for a 3-0 win.
The Basics
Score: Providence 3,
Merrimack 0 (25-15 | 25-17 | 25-11)
Records: Merrimack (0-1) | Providence (2-1)
Location: Providence, R.I. | Alumni Hall
Set Breakdown
- Points for freshman Luna Colozzo and sophomore Natasha Vallis headlined a 3-0 run for Merrimack that turned a 7-2 deficit into a 7-5 contest in the first set. With the score at 16-9 in favor of the hosts, the Warriors won four of the next five points to close within four, 17-13. Colozzo and classmate Emily Adams notched three of the four points during that spurt. The hosts responded, however, ending the set on an 8-2 run to take a 1-0 advantage
- The Warriors did not trail through the first 25 points of the second set, playing their best in the middle frame. Merrimack jumped out to a 5-2 lead highlighted by points from Vallis and fellow sophomore Sophie Meyers. The visitors maintained their lead, forcing a Friars timeout after a kill from senior Catherine Flaherty that made it a 12-10 contest. Providence used a 9-1 run later in the set to regain control, turning a 13-12 frame into a 21-14 margin. Merrimack closed within five at one point, but the Friars won by a final of 25-17
- The Friars quickly gained control of the final set, holding separate leads of 11-3 and 15-5. The hosts won five of the final six points to end the match, 25-11
Top Performers
- In her first career match, Colozzo led the team in kills with six on 14 attacks, which tied for the second most on the night
- Vallis led Merrimack with a career-best 16 attacks
- Flaherty paced the Warriors in hitting percentage (.143) among players with at least 10 attacks; she committed just two errors on 14 attempts
- Senior setter Rosie Sperduto led the way with 18 assists while freshman libero Taelyr Czech debuted at libero with a team-high eight digs
Notes and Notables
Up Next
Merrimack returns to its Division II roots this weekend when the Warriors compete in a tri-match at Southern New Hampshire. The Warriors play the host Penmen at 10 a.m. followed by Saint Michael's College at 12 p.m. at SNHU's Stan Spirou Fieldhouse.
