Women’s Volleyball Sails Past Salem State, 3-1

SALEM, Mass. – Suffolk women's volleyball collected its second victory of the season and in as many games with a 3-1 triumph over Salem State Thursday night at Tim Shea Court inside Twohig Gymnasium. The triumph came by set scores 25-19, 25-16, 19-25 and 25-17.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Salem State 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-4) | Salem State (2-4) 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• From a 7-all tie in the opening set, Suffolk stormed ahead 16-8 behind a 9-1 spurt. The Rams lead lengthened to double figures, 24-14, before Salem State rallied back with five quick points to cut the gap in half, 24-19. Out of a blue-and-gold timeout, a Jordyn Mik kill locked up the first frame for the visitors. 
• Suffolk grabbed a 15-9 advantage at the midway point of the second set that forced SSU to use a timeout. After the teams traded five points, the Rams closed the stanza on a 4-1 run, 25-16.
• With the third set locked at 9-all, the Vikings compiled a 9-2 stretch to put the Rams in a 17-11 hole. Suffolk managed to climb back within three, 22-19, but SSU tallied three straight points to take the set and force a fourth. 
• The Rams fell behind 6-0. A 9-3 Rams' rally was able to trim the gap to one, 9-8. That margin remained at 14-13, but things turned around for the blue-and-gold as it outscored the host 12-3 the rest of the way to close the frame and match. That set-ending, match-winning run featured three kills by Chloe Clement, two from Grace Cervenka and was capped by a Clement ace.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Clement contributed 13 kills, seven digs, four blocks and two aces. 
• Mik notched 13 kills, as well, to go along with five digs and one block. 
• Cervenka registered nine kills on a .400 hitting percentage. The senior added five digs and three blocks. 
• Aislinn Lanigan directed the offense with 24 assists and completed the double-double effort with 11 digs to her credit. The junior's stat line featured a pair of aces and blocks, respectively, as well. 
• Mackenzie Heaney pitched in 16 digs, three kills, one ace and one assist. 
• Kathy Mo recorded 16 digs, three assists, one ace and one kill. 
• Vicky Serrano notched 14 digs, three helpers and one block. 
• Emmy Thomander was a force at the net with five blocks. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Salem State squared off for the 20th time. 
• The Rams defeated the Vikings for the fourth straight meeting to move to 16-4 all-time in the series. 
• The Rams improved to 7-2 on the road versus SSU. 
• The blue-and-gold moved to 4-1 against the Vikings under Scott Blanchard. 
• Suffolk and Salem State went to four sets for the 12th time, first since Sept. 19, 2018, a 3-1 Rams' loss.
• The Rams moved to 9-3 in four-set decisions against the Vikings. 
• It is the first time that Suffolk defeated SSU in four sets since Sept. 16, 2017. 
• It was the second-ever time that a match between the blue-and-gold and Salem State went four sets under Blanchard's guidance. 
• The Rams beat the Vikings in four sets with Blanchard on the bench for the first time. 
• Clement set a personal-best four blocks as the senior tied a career-high in block solos (1) and block assists (3). 
• Mik set a Suffolk-best in kills (13), total attacks (33) and digs (5). 
• Lanigan produced a double-double for the first time this season and second of her collegiate career, first since Sept. 25, 2024 against Hartford. 
• Lanigan rewrote a career-high in assists (24) and tied a personal-best with 11 digs. 
• Heaney had a personal-best in kills (3), total attacks (10) and digs (16). 
• Mo tied a career-high three assists. 
• Serrano tallied a career-high in digs (14) and handouts (3). 
• Thomander amended her personal-best in blocks (5) and block assists (5). 
• Delaney More dished out a career-high eight assists and had the first block of her collegiate career. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk is back at the friendly confines of Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court Saturday, Sept. 13 with a tri-match against Maine Maritime and Bridgewater State. The Rams open the day at 11 a.m. versus the Mariners and wrap up the day against the Bears at 3 p.m.