Links: Box Score (Match 1) |
Box Score (Match 2)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's volleyball team earned the squad's first set win after challenging the Harvard Crimson on Saturday, taking the win after falling to Marist on Saturday morning in the Harvard Invitational.
The Basics
Score (Match 1): Marist 3,
Merrimack 0 (25-17 | 25-15 | 25-18)
Score (Match 2): Harvard 3,
Merrimack 0 (28-26 | 25-18 | 24-26 | 25-14)
Records: Merrimack (0-7, 0-0 NEC) | Marist (3-3, 0-0 MAAC), Harvard (1-2, 0-0 Ivy)
Location: Malkin Athletic Center | Cambridge, Mass. | Harvard Invitational
Set Breakdown (Match 1):
- Merrimack jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first set against Marist, gaining momentum off of a kill by Sydney Green before back-to-back aces by Brooke Leestma. In the middle of the set, an 8-3 run by the Red Foxes put teams even before a let-set run by Marist closed the game out.
- After Marist worked a lead to open the second set, teams traded points mid-frame, with the Warriors notching a kills by Kara Haase, Brooke Leestma and Megan Rumenapp for an eight all score. The Red Foxes again surged late in the set to close it out.
- In the third set, Marist opened with a wide lead. Merrimack responded with a 4-1 rally before the Red Foxes closed out the final set.
Set Breakdown (Match 2):
- Merrimack and Harvard clashed early, as the Warriors chipped away at Harvard's opening stretch to put the set at 9-8 for the hosts. Merrimack matched nearly every point with Harvard, before stretching on a 6-1 run. Brooke Leestma provided a kill and ace, with Sydey Green and Maegan Hladick adding kills in the run. Merrimack snagged a 25-24 lead on a kill by Kara Haase added onto by a Quinn Kellogg kill before Harvard edged out for the set.
- The Warriors continued their momentum into the second set, taking a 13-8 lead over the Crimson, thanks to six kills and two aces from Kellogg. Harvard posted five straight points before the set was drawn even at 18 by a Kara Haase kill. Once again, the Crimson hit their stride at the end of the set to earn the win.
- The third set proved to be a battle the Warriors captured for the first match win of the season. Harvard opened with a lead and continued to chip away with points, before Brooke Leestma's three straight kills got the Warriors on a roll. Haase's kill set the squad a point behind before Merrimack earned a lead. A kill by Megan Larson with two attack errors put the match in the Warriors' favor at 23-20. A kill by Maegan Hladick gave Merrimack a lead, before an ace by Kellogg closed out the set victory.
- Harvard went on a 6-2 run to open the set, with an ace by Megan Larson and kill by Leestma set to narrow the gap. The Warriors jumped for three points midway through with kills by Haase and Leestma, before Harvard pushed for four points to close out the set.
Notes & Notables
- In the first and third sets against Harvard, Merrimack notched 12 kills, with 39 total attempts coming in the first set.
- Three Warriors served up crucial aces against the Crimson, as Quinn Kellogg tallied four, Leestma three and Megan Larson two.
- Megan Rumenapp posted 11 assists against Marist and 16 against Harvard to lead the Warriors in both matches.
- Senior Kara Haase was named to the Harvard Invitational All-Tournament team for the Warriors after she earned 10 kills against the Crimson and five against the Red Foxes.
Up Next:
Merrimack returns home to take on the Providence Friars for the second time this season on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. on Hammel Court.
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