Fabiano Paces Women’s Volleyball in 3-2 Win at Eastern Nazarene

QUINCY, Mass. – Hannah Fabiano's double-double effort of 14 kills and 21 digs led Suffolk women's volleyball in a 3-2 thrilling victory at Eastern Nazarene Tuesday night. The Rams recorded the non-conference win by set scores 25-20, 23-25, 21-25, 25-11 and 15-8.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Eastern Nazarene 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-3) | Eastern Nazarene (3-6)

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rams and Lions traded the first two frames with Suffolk taking the first, 25-20, and the hosts winning the second, 25-23. Suffolk fell behind 2-1 after Eastern Nazarene locked up the third stanza, 25-21, but the blue-and-gold forced a fifth set with a 25-11 decision in the fourth. The Rams didn't look back from there and carried their fourth frame momentum into the fifth set to take the match, 15-8.

SET 1 RECAP (25-20, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk leaped out a 10-4 lead.
• Eastern Nazarene used 4-1 stretch to pull within two, 11-9.
• See-saw action overcame the next handful of points with the Rams maintaining a 16-11 edge.
• The Lions would not go down without a fight, however, as they outscored the blue-and-gold, 7-3, to make it a one-point set, 19-18.
• Suffolk turned up the volume and kept Eastern Nazarene at bay down the stretch to take set, 25-20. 

SET 2 RECAP (25-23, EASTERN NAZARENE)

• Tides turned and Suffolk found itself in a 4-1 hole to open the stanza.
• The Rams powered back and evened the playing field at 8-all.
• Suffolk could not rally the lead as the Lions stormed back in front 15-12 at the midway point.
• A 4-1 stretch by the hosts lengthened its advantage to 18-13.
• Out of a timeout, Suffolk collected itself and pulled within two, 20-18, and then one, 24-23.
• Eastern Nazarene was able to put the set away, 25-23, thanks to a kill by Courtney McCarthy.

SET 3 RECAP (25-21, EASTERN NAZARENE)

• A tightly contested third set featured six lead changes and eight ties leading up to the midway point of 14-all.
• Eastern Nazarene took the biggest lead of the set, 19-14, thanks to five unanswered points.
• Suffolk chipped away at things with three straight points, but it would not be enough.
• The Lions closed the set 25-21, outscoring the Rams, 5-4, to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

SET 4 RECAP (25-11, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk stormed out of the gates, taking a 5-2 lead, which blossomed to a 13-4 advantage.
• The Rams continued to pile on the points and even the match 2-2 thanks to a 25-11 fourth frame win.

SET 5 RECAP (15-8, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk gained a 4-1 lead to open the frame.
• Eastern Nazarene pulled within one, 7-6.
• Back-and-forth action ensued as the one-point match remained.
• Thanks to a kill by Fabiano and a service ace by Dakhensey Marcellus the Rams gained a 10-7 advantage.
• Suffolk coupled four consecutive points, which included a block by Talia Lombardo and Bridget Allison and a kill and ace by Liz Kerek to seal the set, 15-18, and match, 3-2.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Suffolk's 45 kill attack featured 14 from Fabiano, eight from Chidera Nwankwo and six each from Lombardo and Kayla Barbera.
• Kerek set up the Rams' offense with the senior dishing out 24 assists. The co-captain chipped in three kills to the attack.
• Defensively it was Fabiano leading the way once again with 21 digs. Lombardo added 14 and Barbera contributed eight.
• At the end, Nwankwo produced five blocks with Fabiano and Allison each recording three. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk improved to 7-3 versus Eastern Nazarene since 2003.
• Under Bonny Ducharme, the Rams are undefeated against the Lions, 2-0.
• When the meeting between Suffolk and Eastern Nazarene has been decided in five sets since 2003, the Rams improved to 2-1.
• Fabiano produced her third consecutive match with double-digit kills, leading Suffolk's offense for the third time this season.
• Fabiano recorded the first double-double of her collegiate career.

POST-MATCH PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk will play in front of its home crowd for the first time in 2017 as the Rams host its first tri-match of the season Saturday, Sept. 16. Suffolk will first take the court inside Regan Gymnasium at 11 a.m. versus Newbury, before capping off the day in at 3 p.m. against Salem State.