Links: Box Score (Match 1) |
Box Score (Match 2)
Video: Highlights
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's volleyball team celebrated the career of senior captain
Karina Anderson on Wednesday against Sacred Heart University, recognizing the Warriors' team leader on Senior Day against the Pioneers. Anderson has enjoyed an impressive career at Merrimack dating back to 2017, enjoying athletic, academic and off-the-court success.
In the matches that played out at Hammel Court, the Warriors challenged the defending Northeast Conference (NEC) champions. The Pioneers emerged with a pair of 3-0 victories, however, defeating the Warriors in both teams' final regular season league matches.
Sophomore libero
Taelyr Czech totaled 23 digs over the two matches, classmate
Quinn Kellogg added 20 assists and second-year
Taylor Sawyer combined for 10 kills.
The Basics
Score (Match 1): Sacred Heart 3,
Merrimack 0 (25-10 | 25-19 | 25-21)
Score (Match 2): Sacred Heart 3,
Merrimack 0 (25-4 | 25-12 | 25-15)
Records: Merrimack (0-12, 0-10 NEC) | Sacred Heart (11-3, 10-0)
Location: North Andover, Mass. | Hammel Court
Set Breakdown (Match 1):
- Sacred Heart jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first set. At that point, junior Brooke Leestma notched a kill and the combination of juniors Natasha Vallis and Sophie Meyers posted a block for a point to get Merrimack some momentum. At that point, however, the visitors used a 7-1 run to grab a 17-5 advantage. Leestma, Sawyer and junior Kayla Zinser registered points for Merrimack over the remainder of the set, but Sacred Heart won the opener to take a 1-0 lead
- The Warriors raced out of the gates in the second set, holding a 6-2 lead. One kill each from Meyers, Sawyer and freshman Ashley Gajdzik highlighted the run. After SHU tied the game at seven-all, Merrimack went on a 4-0 burst that included aces for Anderson that left the hosts with an 11-7 lead. With Merrimack's lead still at four, the Pioneers used a 9-0 stretch to retake the lead, and held a 23-17 advantage late in the set. Another kill for Leestma and an ace for Kellog cut the team's deficit to four, but the hosts won the last two points to win the game, 25-19
- Leestma netted two kills and Sawyer added a point too, helping Merrimack to a 6-5 lead in the third set. A 7-1 run left the visitors with a 13-8 lead, but Vallis led a 7-3 charge that trimmed the team's deficit down. The left-handed hitter recorded three straight kills to start the stretch, which brought the Warriors within a point at 16-15. After SHU extended its lead to 22-17, a 3-0 burst allowed Merrimack to climb within two points. The Pioneers won three of the last four points, however, to win the match (25-21)
Set Breakdown (Match 2):
- Sacred Heart played its strongest during the first set of the second match, winning the game by a 25-4 margin to go up in the match, 1-0
- Merrimack used an early timeout in the second set, and won four of five points coming out of the stoppage to sit within three points of SHU, 7-4. Zinser, Meyers and Czech all posted points during the run. The Warriors enjoyed strong play towards the end of the set, winning eight of the final 15 points. Vallis and Gajdzik had kills, Meyers posted a block solo and Sawyer/Zinser notched a block assist each during the 8-7 run. Sacred Heart won the set, however, to move ahead 2-0
- After falling behind 10-3, Merrimack outscored the Pioneers 11-9 from there to trim its deficit to five points, 19-14. Aces from senior Megan Larson and Kellogg as well as a pair of kills for Leestma were featured in Merrimack's run. A block solo for Gajdzik kept the Warriors within six, 21-15, but the visitors closed the night on a 4-0 run to emerge victorious
Notes & Notables
- Anderson played in both matches on her Senior Day, tying her season high with a pair of aces in the first match
- Czech now has at least 10 digs in five of her last six matches including three straight. Over her last six, the Edina, Minn. native is averaging 4.3 digs per set
- Kellogg set a new career high with 12 assists in the first match
- Merrimack was effective on the block, equaling Sacred Heart with nine of the two matches. Zinser had five block assists while Vallis posted four over the two matches. In the second match, Sawyer, Gajdzik and Meyers all had one block solo each
Up Next:
Merrimack will visit Boston College on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.
