Volleyball Wins Five Set Match at Sacred Heart
The CCSU Volleyball team won its ninth straight match on Saturday night with a record blocking performance.
The Central Connecticut volleyball team extended its winning streak to nine with a five set victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday night. The Blue Devils (18-7, 9-2 NEC) trailed heading into the fourth set, but CCSU earned a 25-14 victory in that set and a 15-9 win in the fifth to take the match from the Pioneers (13-14, 7-4 NEC).
The Blue Devils dominated the net on defense with 21.0 total blocks. Junior Rachel Dunlap led the squad with 14 total blocks - two solo and 12 assists.
The 21.0 total blocks by the Blue Devils tie the program record for most in a match under the current scoring format, which went into use for the 2008 season. CCSU also posted 21 blocks against Sacred Heart on Nov. 10, 2010. That match also went five sets.
Also, Dunlap's 14 total blocks surpass the 13 that Jamie Baumert had against Sacred Heart in 2008 for the most by a CCSU player in a single match.
The Blue Devils net defense helped turn the match around as the squad posted five blocks in 25-14 fourth set victory. In the fifth set CCSU recorded five of its 15 points off of blocks.
Senior Veronika Ban was also heavily involved at the net with 10 block assists. She led CCSU on offense as well with nine kills on 22 attacks.
CCSU's hitting was well balanced on the night with six players recording four or more kills. Ban was followed by sophomore Makenna Lommori (6), freshman Brooke Schwab (6), sophomore Heather Trueman (5), freshman Cassidy Stankowski (4) and Dunlap (4).
On defense, freshman libero Rachel Fish led the squad with 13 digs. Lommori and Stankowski also contributed heavily with 12 digs apiece.
At the net, Dunlap and Ban were not alone as Schwab (7), Lommori (4), Trueman (3) and Lommori (2) all contributed to blocks.
The Blue Devils dropped the opening set 25-23 and the third set 25-7. CCS won the second set 25-20, the fourth 25-14 and the fifth 15-9.
The Blue Devils matched the 2005 team with their ninth straight victory.
CCSU returns to action tomorrow afternoon at Fairleigh Dickinson.
