Volleyball Slides Past Mass. Maritime in Season Opener

BOSTON – For the first time since 2012, Suffolk volleyball captured a win in its season opener as the Rams took down Massachusetts Maritime in straight sets Tuesday night inside Regan Gymnasium. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Mass. Maritime 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-0) | Mass. Maritime (0-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rams and Buccaneers kept things close in the first set, but it was the hosts that closed things out, 26-24. In the second stanza, Suffolk rolled past Mass. Maritime, 25-14, and secured the victory with a 25-21 third set win.

Suffllk saw five different players marking five or more kills. Sophomore Bridget Allison led the team in kills with seven, with classmate Talia Lombardo adding six. Liz Kerek posted 18 assists. The rams combined for 13 service aces with newcomer Alyssa Gibson pacing the pack with four. The freshman added 10 digs and five kills, hitting a team-best .231.

Notable performances for Mass. Maritime included 10 kills from Charleen Klangos and nine kills from Jennifer Roy.

SET ONE RECAP (26-24 SUFFOLK)

• The first frame featured 14 ties and four lead changes.
• A service error locked things at 24-all, before a kill from Allison set up match point for Suffolk.
• An attack error from the Buccaneer's Marie Harrison sealed the set win for the Rams, 26-24.

SET TWO RECAP (25-14 SUFFOLK)

• The Rams jumped out to a 7-3 lead.
• Suffolk's advantage stretched to 18-8 on an Allison kill.
• The Buccaneer's pulled within 10, 22-12, but Suffolk rattled off three of the final five points to take the stanza, 25-14.

SET THREE RECAP (25-21 SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk created a 10-4 edge to start off the final frame.
• Mass Maritime scored four unanswered points to pull within two, 10-8.
• The Rams regained a five-point advantage, 18-13, on a Lombardo service ace.
• The Buccaneers rattled off five quick points to even the score at 18-all.
• Suffolk scored three quick points of its own and took the lead to take the set, 25-21, and the game.

NOTEABLES

• Suffolk won its season opener for the first time since 2012 when it defeated Mitchell in five sets at the Gordon Invitational. 

NEXT UP
Suffolk ventures to the Smith Invitational this weekend where the Rams will take on Smith, Husson and UMass Boston. Suffolk starts off against the hosts Friday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. and will play Husson and UMass Boston the following day at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.