No. 2 Johnson & Wales Too Much for Volleyball

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Suffolk volleyball team faced its first known nationally ranked opponent in recent history and could not overcome the powerhouse of No. 2 Johnson & Wales as the Wildcats took care of business in straight sets Saturday afternoon at the Wildcat Center. The Rams' GNAC setback came by set scores 25-15, 25-16 and 25-12.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 0, No. 2 Johnson & Wales 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-15, 7-4 GNAC) | No. 2 Johnson & Wales (27-1, 11-0 GNAC) 

SET ONE RECAP (25-15, JOHNSON & WALES)

• JWU jumped ahead 11-4. 
• Chidera Nwankwo recorded Suffolk's first offensive point of the match with a kill to end the Wildcats 5-0 run at 11-5. 
• The Rams' could not rally off of Nwankwo's kill and the Wildcats put Suffolk in a 20-9 hole before Scott Blanchard used his second timeout of the set. 
• Suffolk found ammunition in the timeout and put together five answered points, including back-to-back aces from Sarah Mullahy and a kill from Emma Feeney to trim the margin to six, 20-14.
• This time JWU used a timeout to gain composure and it did as it outscored the blue-and-gold 5-1 out of the break to take the frame, 25-15.

SET TWO RECAP (25-16, JOHNSON & WALES)

• The Wildcats broke open a 2-all time with a 7-1 run to grab a 9-3 lead over the Rams. 
• Bridget Allison's kill that broke up the stretch kicked started see-saw action that pulled Suffolk within five, 12-7. 
• The Rams continued to trade points with the Wildcats, but JWU managed to keep the blue-and-gold at a distance of five points or more.
• Suffolk could not slow down with a timeout as the hosts clicked on cruise control to take the stanza, 25-16.

SET THREE RECAP (25-12, JOHNSON & WALES)

• The opening portion on the first set was the closet part of the entire match as Suffolk was down by just one, 5-4.
• The Wildcats went off on a tangent, scoring nine unanswered points to control on the frame, 14-4.
• The Rams had too much ground to make up and fell short as JWU continued to pour on the points to claim the set and match 25-12. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Kayla Barbera had five of Suffolk's 17 total attacks with Allison chipping in three.
• Talia Lombardo set up Suffolk's offense with 11 assists to go with four digs and three kills.
• Mullahy added offense with a pair of aces and kills, while Dakhensey Marcellus held down the defense with 13 digs.
• Ashley Fahey added to the defense with seven digs. 

POST-MATCH PIC
 

ON DECK
Suffolk wraps up the regular season this afternoon against Saint Joseph's (Maine).