Volleyball Set for Smith Invitational

SEPTEMBER 9 | 11MA AINSWORTH & SCOTT GYMNASIUM COURT 2 NORTHAMPTON, MASS.
Eyes on the Game

SEPTEMBER 9 | 3 PM AINSWORTH & SCOTT GYMNASIUM COURT 2 NORTHAMPTON, MASS.
Eyes on the Game

BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball remains on the road over the weekend as the Rams venture to Northampton, Massachusetts, for the 2017 Smith College Invitational. The two day event pits Suffolk against Gallaudet, Mt. St. Vincent and Western New England. The Rams open action Friday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. versus Gallaudet and will face the Dolphins and Golden Bears Saturday, Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.   

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LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk volleyball picked up a 3-1 season opening victory over Mass. Maritime at the Clean Harbors Athletic Center behind stand-up play from juniors Bridget Allison and Talia Lombardo. The Rams won their second straight season debut by set scores of 25-18, 25-6, 15-25 and 25-17.

MORE READING: Volleyball Downs Mass. Maritime, 3-1, in Season Opener

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk, who starts its season 1-0 for the second consecutive campaign, received a well-balanced attack on opening night and consistent defense. 

Bridget Allison led both sides of the net with the junior putting together a double-double effort of 10 kills on a .625 hitting clip to go along with 10 digs and two aces. Talia Lombardo, meanwhile, notched a team-best 12 kills, and led the way at the service line with five aces. Defensively, the junior outside hitter produced seven digs. 

Liz Kerek and Rachel Fancy set up Suffolk's attack, which combined for 46 kills. Kerek recorded 23 assists with Fancy dishing out 16. The pair also helped on the defensive end with the former garnering eight digs with the latter adding six.

ROOKIE RAMS
Six new players will wear the blue-and-gold for the first time in be sophomore Sarah Mullahy and true freshmen Kayla Barbera, Hannah Fabiano, Ashley Fahey, Meg Kerek and Dakhensey Marcellus. 

BISON BITS
Gallaudet opened the season at the Battlefield Classic where it picked up its first win of the year, a 3-1 victory of St. Mary's. From there, the Bison fell to Penn State Harrisburg, Gettysburg and Kenyon to head into the weekend 1-3 overall. Prior to facing the rams Friday night, the Bison will take on Mt. St. Vincent at 5 p.m. 

Darriyan Thomas and Adele Daniels are leading the Bison's offense with the senior and sophomore producing well over 3.00 kps. Thomas paces the pack with 3.63 kps, while Daniels tallies 3.13 kps. Jasmine Jeter is the main setter for Gallaudet, dishing out 9.19 aps. Thomas sits second on the squad on the defensive side of the net with her 3.06 dps coming behind the team's leader, Raelyn Fuechtmann's 3.81 dps.

EYES ON THE MATCH
 

DOLPHINS DIAGNOSIS
Mt. St. Vincent lifted the curtain on 2017 with a 3-1 setback to NYU. Before seeing the Rams on the court Friday night the Dolphins will open tournament action against Gallaudet. 

Two Dolphins are the main ingredients to Mt. St. Vincent's attack in Tara Maloney (2.75 kps) and Maria Leineweber (2.50 kps). The pair have been set up mainly by Nicole Henderson, who dishes out 7.25 aps. 

Maloney is also the defensive force for the Dolphins, leading the way with 3.75 dps and is helped out by Alexandra Rio's 3.25 dps.  

EYES ON THE MATCH

GET TO KNOW THE GOLDEN BEARS
Western New England is already five matches into 2017, but only owns one win, a straight set victory over Mills at Slug Fest in Santa Cruz, California.

Hailey McDonnell's 3.00 kps leads the way for the Golden Bears offensively with Emmaline Chiodini and Ashley Matthews contributing 2.00 kps apiece. Jenna McCormack (7.00 aps), Maria Duffy (4.00 aps) and Caitlyn Sibiskie (3.60 aps) have split time at the setter position, while Brianna Roth (2.88 dps) and Jenna Ferguson (2.58 dps) control Western New England's defense.

EYES ON THE MATCH

UP NEXT
Suffolk continues its road stretch Tuesday, Sept. 12 when it visits Eastern Nazarene for a 7 p.m. tilt.