Blue Devils Split A Pair of Sweeps In Final Day Action of the CCSU Invitational

Junior Tori Vaughan and sophomore Sara DeLacey combined for eight blocks, as the Central Connecticut State University volleyball team defeated Hartford by a score of 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-23) in the final match of the Blue Devils' home tournament. The victory gave CCSU a 1-2 record, equaling that of both Hartford and Manhattan, for the tournament. NJIT ended up on top, recording a record of 3-0 on the weekend. Earlier in the day, freshman Blaike King led the Blue Devils with eight kills and 15 digs in their loss to NJIT.

The first set against the Hawks saw back and forth action, with 14 ties in all. CCSU broke the final tie of the set on a block by DeLacey and senior captain Jamie Baumert to make it 21-20. The Blue Devils went onto win the opening set 25-22. Baumert led Central in the first frame with four kills and added two digs.

Set two was broken open much earlier by the Blue Devils. After Hartford took a 7-4 early lead, CCSU went on an 8-1 run to build a 12-8 lead that it would not give up. Baumert was crucial during the stretch, completing two kills, both off of assists by junior captain Amanda Bayer. Central handedly took the second set, 25-16. DeLacey and Vaughan came up big on the defense during the second stanza, each collecting a solo block and a block assist.

The third and final set saw just as much action as the opening frame, as the teams were tied a total of 13 times. The final tie of the match was broken when DeLacey scored off of an assist from Bayer to give CCSU a 22-21 lead. The Hawks did not give up, as they came within one point, 24-23, when Sydney Scott assisted on Maddison Molyneux's score. Bayer, the setter, then ended it with her fourth kill of the match, being assisted by junior libero Kaitlin Petrella.

Freshman Emily Cochran and Baumert led the CCSU offense with nine and eight kills, respectively. Bayer chipped in with 26 assists and eight digs in the victory. Petrella and freshman Blaike King totaled 11 digs, while sophomore Danielle Gasser led the Blue Devils with 12. DeLacey and Vaughan finished the match with nearly identical statistical lines. Both recorded four blocks and two digs, while DeLacey edged Vaughan by one, with five kills in the match.

Hartford was led by Erin Macro's 16 kills, Lindsay Ford's 30 assists and Danielle Etta's 22 digs.

In CCSU's first match of the day, King led the way with her eight kills and 15 digs in the Blue Devils' 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-16) loss to NJIT. Petrella anchored the defense with a match best 28 digs, a mark that tied her season best outing from 2008. Bayer and Gasser combined for 28 assists, and Cochran added seven kills and eight digs in the loss.

The Highlanders were led by a trio of players, totaling double-digit kills. Kristy Haeckel, Baaba Hughes and Renata Pandolfo each recorded 10 kills in the match. Erica Schultz tallied a match best 39 assists, while Sabrina Baby finished with 21 digs to lead NJIT on defense.

Baumert was named to the All-Tournament Team following the weekend's matches. She joined Manhattan's Aurore Kullak, Hartford's Erin Macro and NJIT's trio of Sabrina Baby, Kristy Haeckel and Renata Pandolfo.

CCSU is now 1-2 on the season and will next compete at the Fordham Rose Hill Classic against Manhattan, Seton Hall and the host Rams on September 11 and 12.