Volleyball Drops Pair of Matches to Open Season

The Central Connecticut volleyball dropped a pair of matches to open the season at the Jack Kaiser Classic hosted by St. John's University. The Blue Devils fell to Eastern Michigan, 3-0, to open the day before falling to St. John's, 3-2, to close the day.

CCSU is 0-2 on the season. The Blue Devils will close out play at the tournament on Saturday against Manhattan and Fordham.

MATCH 1: Eastern Michigan 3, CCSU 0

Central dropped its opening match of the season falling to Eastern in straight sets; 25-18, 25-12, 25-20.

The Eagles led throughout the opening frame and used a 6-0 run to build a 15-5 lead. The Blue Devils got within, 18-14, but Eastern closed on a 6-1 run to take the opening set.

Eastern jumped out to a 5-1 lead to open the second set and again led throughout. The Eagles would score the set's final five points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The teams would go back-and-forth in the third set until Eastern scored five straight points to take a 16-10 lead. CCSU was unable to get closer than four points the rest of the set.

Junior Madelyn Kaprelyan led Central with seven kills. Junior Erin McDermott had 14 assists and eight digs, while senior Katelyn Kushman had a team high 12 digs.

MATCH 1: St. John's 3, CCSU 2

Central fell to the host St. John's, 3-2, in an exciting match to close the opening day of action. SJU won the match by scores of 25-18, 20-25, 10-25, 25-23, 15-12.

The decisive fifth set was closely contested throughout and a kill by junior Madelyn Kaprelyan got the Blue Devils within, 13-12. The Red Storm, however, would close the match out with back-to-back points to win the match.

SJU would take the opening set before Central stormed back to take the next two. In the second set, CCSU led 7-6 before rolling off a 9-3 run to take control of the frame. An ace by sophomore Emma Henderson would seal the set, 25-20.

In the third set, Central took a 12-2 lead after a kill by sophomore Eline van Heijningen and was never threatened. A kill by Kaprelyan closed the frame out, 25-10.

The teams were close throughout in the pivotal fourth frame. A kill by Kaprelyan tied the set, 22-22, but the Red Storm would respond by closing out the set, 25-23, to stay alive in the match for a decisive fifth frame.

Senior Raquel Quirarte had 19 kills and 14 digs, while Henderson added 17 kills and 17 digs. Sophomore Ashlyn Eisenga had a team-high 26 digs, while McDermott had 27 assists and Kushman had 20 assists.