Volleyball Stays Unbeaten in NEC Play, Downs FDU, 3-1

The Central Connecticut volleyball team remained unbeaten in Northeast Conference action with a 3-1 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday in Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils rallied after dropping the opening set and won their fourth straight match to improve to 9-7 overall and 4-0 in NEC play.

The Blue Devils hit .281 as a team and were led by freshmen Morgan Woycik and Gala Golabova who had 15 and 13 kills, respectively. They each added two blocks as well. Sophomore Kaitlyn Kushman had 27 assists and two aces, while freshman Erin McDermott added 21 assissts and three service aces. Senior Rachel Fish had 17 digs, while classmate Cassidy Stankowski had 12 and Kushman finished with 10 digs. Senior Brooke Schwab led the Blue Devils with five blocks.

The Knights led throughout the opening set and won 25-16 to take an early lead in the match. FDU led 12-8 in the second set before Central took a timeout. The Blue Devils would roll off a 5-2 run to tie the set at 14-14 after Galabova and Schwab combined on a block. The Knights would lead 17-15 before Kushman would serve six points as part of a 7-0 run to give CCSU the lead. Kushman had an ace and Woycik and freshman Madelyn Kaprelyan each had two kills during the spurt to give Central a 22-17 lead. The Blue Devils would round out the set with back-to-back points to win 25-19 and even the match at one set apiece.

Central led throughout the third set and a kill by Kushman made it 22-15. Stankowski served the final three points of the set and a kill by Schwab won the set 25-15.

The Blue Devils used a 7-0 spurt midway through the fourth set to take the lead for good. A kill by Stankowski opened the spurt and junior Maddie Smith would serve six straight points as consecutive kills for Stankowski was followed by a block by Schwab and Woycik to make it 13-9. Following an FDU point, CCSU scored four straight to increase its lead to 17-10. The Knights would close within 23-21 following a Central timeout, but the Blue Devils responded with a kill by Woycik before Stankowski and Schwab combined for a block to end the set 25-21 and give CCSU the 3-1 win in the match.

Central returns to action on Sunday, Oct. 9, with a 1:00 p.m. match against Sacred Heart in Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils are 4-0 in NEC play, while the Pioneers will come into the match with a 5-0 league record.