Volleyball Takes Five-Set Thriller Over Lasell

BOSTON – For the first time since 2002, Suffolk volleyball defeated Lasell in Boston and the Rams did so in five-set fashion Thursday night at the Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Lasell 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (5-5) | Lasell (2-3)  

SET ONE RECAP (26-24, SUFFOLK)

• Lasell grabbed an early 6-1 lead. 
• The Rams rallied back and used a kill from McKenna Keowen to lock things at 11-all. 
• Harmony Johnson served an ace to give the hosts the edge, 12-11. 
• Things evened three times and the lead swapped twice to keep things interesting. 
• Out of a 14-all tie, the Rams went on a 4-1 stretch to take their biggest advantage, 18-15. 
• Lasell responded with four unanswered points to go in front, 19-18. 
• Matters turned into a point-for-point affair until the Lasers scored three in a row to put the Rams in a 22-20 hole. 
• Scott Blanchard used a timeout to calm his team down. The huddle helped as the hosts came back and locked the first frame at 22-22 behind an ace by Isabelle Huzar. 
• The Rams went ahead, 24-23, behind a solo block from Alina Nowakowski. 
• Lasell used a timeout of its own to talk things through and scored out of the break to equalize the set at 24. 
• Suffolk took control from there as kills from Nowakowski and Jasmine James put things away.                                                                         

SET TWO RECAP (25-14, LASELL)

• A see-saw affair started the stanza with five ties with the last coming at 12-12.
• The Lasers scored three straight to force the Rams into a timeout. 
• A monster block by Nowakowski out of the time out looked to spark a spurt from Suffolk, but Lasell had other things in mind. 
• The visitors put together nine unanswered to put things out of reach for the Rams.  

SET THREE RECAP (25-14, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk doubled a 10-5 cushion into a 20-10 advantage. 
• The Lasers tried to pull back, but the distance the Rams built proved to be too much.

SET FOUR RECAP (25-19, LASELL)

• The set was tight throughout and Suffolk sat in front, 16-15. 
• The Lasers regained the advantage and then some as the visitors outscored the hosts 10-3 the rest of the way to force a thrilling finale. 

SET FIVE RECAP (15-6, SUFFOLK)

• It was all blue-and-gold from the get go as Suffolk put up the first five points. In that stretch, Harmony Johnson notched two aces. 
• Lasell managed to get on the scoreboard, but the Lasers never truly threated as the Rams put it into cruise control to seal the victory.   

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Keowen was a force on both sides of the net with a 22-kills, 14-dig double-double performance to go along with three bocks and one ace. 
• Nowakowski aided both offensively and defensively as well with seven blocks and seven kills.  
• James added 11 kills and three digs. 
• Johnson held down the setter role for the Rams with 32 assists. She chipped in 10 digs to finish with a double-double.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk won its third straight match against Lasell, which is the longest win-streak for the Rams in the all-time series since stringing eight victories over the Lasers in a row together from 1996-2003. 
• The Rams are now 11-12 all-time against the Lasers and 3-1 against Lasell under Blanchard's guidance. 
• Tonight's match was the 10th between Suffolk and Lasell in Boston. The Rams are now 6-4 when hosting the Lasers on their home hardwood. 
• Suffolk bested Lasell in Boston for the first time since 2002. 
• The Rams and Lasers went five sets for just the third time in the all-time series and second straight match. 
• Suffolk boasts an unblemished 3-0 record against Lasell in five set outings. 
• Keowen logged her second double-double of the year and of her collegiate career. 
• Keowen produced a career-high in kills. 
• Nowakowski recorded a personal-best seven blocks. 
• Johnson notched her sixth collegiate double-double, first of the season, and first since a 3-2 win over Saint Joseph's (Maine), Nov. 2, 2019.  

POST-MATCH PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk will be back in the friendly confines of the basement of the Ridgeway Building Saturday, Sept. 18 when it hosts Eastern Nazarene. The 12 p.m. will serve as a Volley for a Cure outing benefitting the Jimmy Fund, as well as Resident Rams Day.