Syracuse, N.Y. – Jaci Buscher recorded a double-double to lead Bentley University to a 3-1 victory over Le Moyne College in Northeast-10 Conference volleyball action on Saturday afternoon at Ted Grant Court.
After falling behind 16-10 midway through the first set, the Dolphins tallied three 5-0 runs to record a 25-19 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The roles were reversed in the second set as Le Moyne took a 20-14 lead before the Falcons tallied five straight points and 11 of the last 14 for a 25-23 win.
Bentley used a 4-0 run early in the third set and steadily increased its lead to 22-14. The Dolphins cut their deficit in half, getting within 24-20, before committing an attack error to give the Falcons the final point for the 25-20 win.
After the Dolphins scored the first point of the fourth set, the Falcons tallied 18 of the next 21, including 10 in a row at one point. With the score 19-6 in favor of the Falcons, the Dolphins mounted a comeback with nine straight points. After alternating points, Le Moyne tallied five straight points to tie the set at 21-apiece. After the teams traded 2-0 spurts to knot the score at 23, Bentley posted the final two points for a 25-23 win.
Junior outside hitter
Natalie Casson (Kingman, Ariz./Kingman) registered her team-best 11th double-double of the season with career-highs of 22 kills and 19 digs. She is the first Dolphin to record at least 19 kills and at least 19 digs in the same mate since current head coach
Lizzie Cheek '10 did so on November 1, 2009 at Franklin Pierce, where she had 24 kills and 23 digs. Casson's 22 kills are the fifth-most by a Dolphin over the last 10 seasons and are the most in four years. Freshman right side
Jessica Miller (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) hit .349 en route to a season-best 20 kills, the ninth-most by a Dolphin over the last 10 seasons and the most by a freshman in the span. Freshman middle hitter
Anna Hafoka (Hurst, Texas/L.D. Bell) was the third Dolphin to post double-digit kills with a career-best 15, while hitting at a .371-clip and adding four digs. Sophomore setter
Kendall Corcoran (Fort Salonga, N.Y./Kings Park) directed the offense with a career-best 62 assists, which is the fourth-highest total by a Dolphin over the last 10 seasons and the most in over eight years. Freshman libero
Mikayla Porr (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) led the Dolphins defensively with 31 digs. After only one Dolphin reached 30+ digs in a match over the previous nine seasons, Porr has eclipsed the mark five times in 20 matches.
Buscher led the Falcons in the victory with 16 kills and 17 digs, while adding four blocks, an assist and a service ace. Ashley Latimer registered nine kills and two digs, while Lauren Van Buren tallied eight kills and three digs. Allie Rotkin dished out 43 assists, while adding eight assists and a match-high four service aces. Jessica Segal led the Falcons defensively with 24 digs, while Celia Cristofoli had 14 digs and two service aces.
Le Moyne (15-7, 6-4 NE-10), which took a set from Bentley for the first time since 2012, returns to action on Friday at Merrimack College at 7:00 p.m. for its final road match of the regular season.