Volleyball Sweeps Quinnipiac on Friday Night

The Central Connecticut volleyball team won in 3-0 fashion at Quinnipiac on Friday night in the opening match of "The Battle of Connecticut". CCSU led throughout much of the night in sweeping the Bobcats to improve to 2-4 on the season, while QU slips to 0-5.

Junior Madelyn Kaprelyan and sophomore Smantha McCreath each had eight kills to lead the Central attack.. McCreath also added 10 digs. Junior Erin McDermott had 19 assists, while senior Kaitlyn Kushman added 11 assists. Sophomore Ashlyn Eisenga had a team-high 13 assists, while junior Gala Galabova had five total blocks.

The Blue Devils stay in Connecticut to face Yale on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

In the opening game Quinnipiac scored three straight points to take an early 7-4 lead and led 9-6 midway through the set before Central went on a run to take a lead. Galabova served four points during a 5-0 CCSU run that gave the Blue Devils an 11-9 lead. The Bobcats would regroup to build a late 20-17 lead, but the Blue Devils would climb back and the match would be tied at 22-22. CCSU would score three straight to close the game and took the first game following a block by sophomore Eline van Heijningen and McCreath. 

Central would build an 11-5 lead in the second game, but QU would manage to scratch back within a point at 22-21. Following a timeout, CCSU would get kills by Kaprelyan and McCreath to set up game-point. The Blue Devils ended the game with a block by Galabova and McCreath to go ahead 2-0 in the match.

CCSU used a 5-0 run to go ahead 9-2 in the third game, capped off by Galabova recording a kill and then partnering with Kaprelyan for a block. The Bobcats ralliied to tie the game at 14-14, but a CCSU timeout was followed by a 6-1 run to push the lead to 20-15. QU again charged back to get within, 22-21, but another CCSU timeout stemmed the run as the Blue Devils closed the match with three straight points.

The Blue Devils stay in Connecticut to face Yale on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in New Haven, CT.