Volleyball Falls in Five in Season Finale at Salve Regina

NEWPORT, R.I. – Suffolk volleyball took a 2-0 lead, but could not close out the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match as Salve Regina came back to win the five-set thriller Saturday afternoon at the Rodgers Recreation Center.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 2 | Salve Regina 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (11-16, 3-6, CCC) | Salve Regina (14-9, 6-3, CCC)  

SET ONE RECAP (25-20, SUFFOLK)

• Out of an 18-all time, Suffolk scored three in a row to force Salve regina into a timeout. 
• The Seahawks put up the first point of out of the huddle, however, the Rams responded with a 3-0 run to set up set point, 24-19. 
• A block by Sydney Ramsey and Mia Lang on Julia Leavey's attack delayed the point to secure that set that was scored courtesy of Kate Murphy's bad set on the next possession.  

SET TWO RECAP (27-25, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk trailed 12-10. 
• The Rams strung together a 5-2 stretch to gain a 15-14 lead, which turned into a 19-16 gap. 
• SRU came back to level the playing field at 19-all. 
• Things turned into a marathon affair from there with five tied scores and a pair of lead exchanges. 
• From 25-25, Suffolk coupled back-to-back points together starting with a kill by Kenzley Bell to go ahead 2-0 in the match. 

SET THREE RECAP (25-19, SALVE REGINA)

• Salve Regina stood in front 15-11 at the midway point. 
• The Seahawks hung to that advantage the remainder of the way to force a fourth frame.  

SET FOUR RECAP (25-20, SALVE REGINA)

• Seahawks soared to an early 13-4 lead. 
• Suffolk attempted to catchup, but the teams traded points instead to keep the blue-and-gold behind, 23-17. 
• The Rams had a late rally with a 3-0 run to pull within four, 24-20. 
• A service error by Tatum Kalt set up the fifth and deciding frame though.  

SET FIVE RECAP (15-12, SALVE REGINA)

• The Rams fell behind 6-2. 
• Suffolk surged back and was within one point, 11-10. 
• The Seahawks outscored the Rams 4-2 the rest of the way to complete the comeback.   

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• McKenna Keowen registered a 17-kill, 15-dig double-double with four aces and one block. 
• Julia Leavey produced nine digs and kills, respectively. 
• Bell recorded eight kills, 22 digs and a pair of blocks. 
• Alina Nowakowski pitched in five kills, four blocks and two digs. 
• Harmony Johnson set up the Rams' 44-kill attack with 41 assists.
• Kalt added 11 digs and one ace.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Salve Regina met for the first time since Aug. 31, 2013 and second time overall. 
• Keowen notched her ninth double-double of the season.  

POST-MATCH PIC
  

WHAT'S AHEAD?
Suffolk awaits the official seeding of the 2021 CCC Women's Volleyball Tournament.