Volleyball Can’t Outlast Gordon, Falls in Five

WENHAM, Mass. – The Suffolk volleyball team forced a fifth set, but was unable to overcome Gordon at the Bennett Center, falling 3-2 Thursday night. The Fighting Scots won by set scores 25-12, 23-25, 25-16, 19-25 and 15-10.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2, Gordon 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-4) | Gordon (9-5) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Gordon and Suffolk had a see-saw affair present through the first four frames. The Fighting Scots got on the scoreboard first and the Rams responded in the second with mirror results present through the third and fourth stanza to force the fifth and deciding set. Thanks to an early start, Gordon grabbed the final set, 15-10, to seal up the match. 

SET ONE RECAP (25-12, GORDON)

• Gordon jumped out to a 9-0 lead.
• Suffolk could not build momentum out of a timeout as the Fighting Scot's lead stretched to 16-5 at the midway point.
• The Rams did not dig themselves out of the hole as the hosts outscored the visitors, 9-7 down the stretch to lock up the frame, 25-12.

SET TWO RECAP (25-23, SUFFOLK)

• Two Kayla Barbera kills sandwiched an attack error by Gordon's Mackenzie Hinds to put Suffolk up early 3-1.
• After the playing field leveled at 4-all, Hannah Fabiano sparked a 4-0 run by the visitors to give the Rams a 9-5 cushion.
• The Fighting Scots inched back into the set and equalized things once again at 10-10.
• The score locked four more times before the tides turned in Gordon's favor, 18-17.  
• Suffolk found itself in a two-point hole after the Fighting Scots rattled off five unanswered points.
• The Rams rallied and tied the frame at 21 and against at 23 before regaining the edge, 24-23 on an ace by Dakhensey Marcellus.
• On the next play, Bridget Allison and Barbera combined for a block to put the set away in Suffolk's favor, 25-23. 

SET THREE RECAP (25-16, GORDON)

• A tightly contested frame was present with neither team making a stand until Suffolk gained a two-point lead thanks to a kill by Marcellus.
• The edge was shortlived, however, as the Fighting Scots responded, outscoring the Rams 5-3, to jump in front, 12-10.
• After Chidera Nwankwo slammed down a kill, Gordon strung together nine consecutive points to put a 21-11 distance between it and Suffolk.
• Suffolk did not gain momentum as Gordon locked up the set, 25-16, on an Amanda Snyder kill. 

SET FOUR RECAP (25-19, SUFFOLK)

• The Rams had to play catch up again and did so, tying the stanza at 5-5, before gaining their first lead of the frame, 6-5, on a Fighting Scots mistake.
• The lead would change twice more before Suffolk grabbed an 11-7 advantage.
• The blue and gold remained in front at the midway point 17-12.
• Suffolk maintained its advantage down the stretch to claim the set, 25-19. 

SET FIVE RECAP (15-10, GORDON)

• Gordon put up the first five points.
• Suffolk clawed back and made it a 7-5 set.
• After switching sides of the net, the Fighting Scots pushed their advantage to 11-5.
• Two kills by Barbera kept Suffolk alive and chipped away at Gordon's lead, 12-8.
• Fabiano and Nwankwo each recorded kills to keep the Rams alive when the Fighting Scots had match point, 14-0.
• A service error by Allison ended Suffolk's hopes and gave Gordon the set, 15-10, and match. 

STATISTCALLY SPEAKING

• Fabiano's 17 kills led Suffolk's 51 kill attack, which saw Talia Lombardo, Nwankwo and Barbera all record nine kills apiece.
• Defenisvely, Marcellus, Lombardo and Liz Kerek all produced double figure digs. Marcellus led the way with 15 with Lombardo and Kerek adding 12 and 11, respectively.
• Kerek set up Suffolk's offense with 34 handouts. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Gordon went to five sets for the first time since 2012 and second time in the all-time series.
• Kerek contributed her first double-double of the year and seventh of her career with a 34-assist, 11-dig performance.
• Kerek's 34 handouts mark a season and career-best for the senior co-captain. 

POST-MATCH PIC
 

COMING UP
After a day of rest, Suffolk hits the road to visit Gordon Thursday, Sept. 21. First serve in Wenham, Massachusetts, is set for 7 p.m.