Volleyball Defeated in Five by Colby

BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball forced Colby to go the distance to take Colby the distance, but could not complete the came as the Mules handled matters in the deciding frame to take the 3-2 win over the Rams Saturday afternoon at Browne & Plofker Gym. The setback came by set scores 25-20, 25-16, 24-26, 24-26 and 15-10.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Colby 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-13) | Colby (10-6) 

SET ONE RECAP (25-20, COLBY)

• Colby scored the first point and stayed in front from there to hold a 15-12 lead at the midway point. 
• Suffolk stayed within striking distance, 18-17. 
• The Mules put together a 4-0 run to go ahead 22-17, which forced the blue-and-gold to use a timeout. 
• See-saw action came out of the huddle, which allowed Colby to take the frame.  

SET TWO RECAP (25-16, COLBY)

• Out of a 5-5 tie, Colby outscored Suffolk 5-1 to go ahead, 10-6. 
• That advantage turned into 14-8 cushion for the Mule. 
• Suffolk attempted to use its timeout to slow down Colby, instead it charged forward to a 21-13 lead. 
• The second Suffolk timeout of the set looked to help and the Rams scored three in a row out of the huddle to climb within five, 21-16. 
• It was all Mules from there as they put down four points straight to seal the set. 

SET THREE RECAP (26-24, SUFFOLK)

• Despite a tight opening, the Rams found themselves trailing 15-9. 
• Scott Blanchard rallied his team in a timeout and Suffolk sprang on a 5-1 run to cut the deficit down to 16-14. 
• Colby used a timeout of its own, hoping the same magic could work out of its huddle, however, the Rams used the break to keep calm and put the next three points on the board to level the playing field at 17-all. 
• The Mules responded with a 4-0 spurt to regain control, 20-17. 
• Suffolk went on to tie things at three times before an attack error by the Mules Natalie Simonton put the blue-and-gold in front.  

SET FOUR RECAP (26-24, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk trailed 6-2. That margin grew to 13-7. 
• The Rams stormed back thanks to an 8-2 spurt to even the playing field at 15-all. 
• The set turned into a teeter totter and the Mules grasped to the lead, 23-20. 
• A Suffolk timeout paid off for the blue-and-gold as it rattled off two quick points to pull within one, 23-22, and force a Colby timeout. 
• Errors on both sides allowed the Mules to cling to the one-point edge until Suffolk scored three straight to win the stanza, 26-24.  

SET FIVE RECAP (15-10, COLBY)

• The team's swapped three points to begin the deciding set. 
• The Rams clung to the upper hand, 7-5. 
• It was all Colby from there as it put together a 5-1 stretch to roll to the victory.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• McKenna Keowen had nearly half of Suffolk's 41 kills with 19 to her credit to go along with seven digs. 
• Jasmine James pitched in seven kills and four digs. 
• Alina Nowakowski recorded six kills and three service aces. 
• Harmony Johnson and Jayla Martinez split time as Suffolk's setter with 12 assists and 11 assists, respectively. 
• Kenzley Bell registered 19 digs, five assits and one ace.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Colby needed five sets to determine a winner for the second straight meeting and second time overall. 
• The Rams fell to the Mules in five frames for the first time in the all-times series. 

POST-MATCH PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk caps off a five-match road trip Tuesday, Oct. 19 when it ventures to the University of New England for a 7 p.m. Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) contest.