Links: Box Score (Match 1) |
Box Score (Match 2)
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's volleyball team pressured in both matches on their home court in a two-match tournament day against Morgan State and Rhode Island on Friday.
The Basics
Score (Match 1): Morgan State 3,
Merrimack 0 (25-10 | 25-23 | 25-15)
Score (Match 2): Rhode Island 3,
Merrimack 0 (25-16 | 25-21 | 26-24)
Records: Merrimack (0-7, 0-0 NEC) | Morgan State (2-10, 0-0 MEAC) | Rhode Island (6-7, 0-0 A10)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass. | UNH/Merrimack Invitational
Set Breakdown (Match 1):
- Merrimack was challenged early but stayed the course in the first set against Morgan State. The Warriors closed the gap with a kill by Maegan Hladick and an ace by Megan Rumenapp brought Merrimack back within a point for the set. Sydney Green and Kayla Zinser notched kills before Morgan State pushed for eight points to take the first.
- Squads traded points to start the second, with Merrimack notching three kills and an ace on an offensive spurt that gave the Warriors a two point advantage. After the Bears response, Brooke Leestma jumped for two aces to give the Warriors a 13-9 lead. Morgan State again pushed back late in the set, fending off the late-set kill by Green and ace by Leestma to take the second.
- In the third set, the Warriors pushed for a team-best nine kills and 23 total attacks. Despite the potent attack, a mid-set challenge in a 10-3 Bears run closed out the third in the visitors' favor.
Set Breakdown (Match 2):
- The Warriors set out to dismantle an early set lead for the Rams, taking a five-point stretch with two kills and an ace to bring the set to 21-12 in Rhode Island's favor. Continuing to challenge, Zinser notched a kill with Taelyr Czech adding an ace to push the final set points up for the Warriors.
- Late in the second set, Merrimack upped the pressure to push Rhode Island. A kill by Leestma followed up by Kara Haase was doubled down by a pair of attack errors forced by strong defensive plays at the net. Avery Brown and Kayla Zinser added kills, before an attack error and a kill by Ashley Gajdzik gave the Warriors an opportunity before the Rams closed out the set.
- Merrimack took the first three points of the third set as Avery Brown jumped up for two kills. The Warriors forced three errors to draw the set level at seven each, before Brown added her third kill of the set. Zinser posted a kill before Lauryn Mattiucci added an ace to narrow the deficit to two. A seven-point run spurred the Warriors, with five errors by the Rams was capped off with an ace by Czech. Merrimack added an additional three kills for a 23-20 set lead. Rhode Island rallied late to take the set and the match in three.
Notes & Notables
- Megan Rumenapp combined for 26 assists through six sets on the day, posting 14 digs and two aces for the Warriors against Rhode Island.
- Three Warriors had potent nights on the kill against URI, as Kayla Zinser and Avery Brown notched eight each, as Brooke Leestma earned seven.
Up Next:
Merrimack will begin Northeast Conference play at home against Central Connecticut on Friday, September 24 at 6 p.m.
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