North Easton, Mass. – The Le Moyne College volleyball team traveled to Stonehill College for the first of two conference matches this weekend on Friday evening. The Dolphins dropped the match, 2-3, with set scores of 16-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-15, 11-15 and now sit with a 3-15 overall record while going 2-4 in conference play this season.
In set one, Stonehill came out to a quick 4-1 lead before sophomore outside hitter Jazmin Rodriguez (Madera, C.A. / Madera) registered to tie the set at six points apiece. Later in the set, the Skyhawks worked multiple streaks of three and five consecutive points to reclaim the lead and close out the opening frame, 25-16.
Set two started with both squads going back-and-forth, eventually tying at 10-10, before a kill by sophomore outside hitter Nina Salas (Austin, T.X. / McNeil) kicked off a five-point rally from the Dolphins. Despite Stonehill coming back to within one at the 22-21, 23-22, and 24-23 marks and tying the match at 24 all, Le Moyne was able to close out the set, 26-24, thanks to a kill by junior opposite hitter Branwyn Lupton (Napanee, O.N. / Napanee District Secondary School) and an attack error from the Skyhawks.
The Dolphins were able to tie set three at 7-7 thanks to back-to-back service aces from junior libero/DS Haley Buescher (Toledo, O.H. / St. Ursula Academy) and another kill by Salas, before Le Moyne worked to a 22-21 lead late. Le Moyne recorded three straight points to take the set, 25-21, due to an attack error from Stonehill and two consecutive service aces from sophomore libero/DS Brooke Menke (St. Louis, M.O. / Visitation Academy).
The fourth set began like the second with both teams neck-and-neck before Stonehill recorded six straight points to take an early 9-4 lead. They continued to tack on multi-point rallies, taking 15-7 and 22-12 leads before closing out the set, 25-15, as the Dolphins were unable to mount a rally.
In the deciding set five, Stonehill worked to a 6-2 lead before Le Moyne stormed back with five straight points to take the lead. Back-to-back kills by senior middle hitter Nil Ezgi Tasdelen (Izmir, Turkey/Ugur Okullari) gave the Dolphins a two-point cushion before the Skyhawks tallied streaks of four and three-straight points to come away with the set and match victory, 15-11.
Salas led Le Moyne with 11 kills while Lupton added another 10 to finish the match in the double digits. Senior setter/DS Haley Gerken (Buffalo, N.Y. / Frontier) and sophomore setter Skylar Jehlen (Rochester, N.Y. / Churchville Chili) led the Dolphins in assists with 18 and 15, respectively, as Menke rounded out the offense with a team-high four service aces against the Skyhawks.
Defensively, Menke registered 19 digs to lead the squad while Tasdelen recorded Le Moyne's lone block solo and another four block assists. Freshman middle hitter Eiley Schneider (Ramsey, N.J. / Ramsey) led with five block assists in the match as sophomore outside hitter Payton Horan (Miller Place, N.Y. / Miller Place) added four more for the Dolphins, as well.
For Stonehill, Mia Bernardino put up a match-high 23 kills while Samantha Lloyd (14) and Emaline Ealey (13) both finished in the double-digits, as well. Kendra Sawyer led with 42 assists in the win with Abby Farrell recording a team-high three service aces. On the defensive side, Suzanne Ponce added 10 digs as Catherine Detweiler led with two block solos and another five block assists for the Skyhawks.
What's Next:
The Dolphins will take on Stonehill on the road once more tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 18 at 1:00 p.m.
