Volleyball Wins, Lommori Posts Record 35 Kills
Junior Ashley Lenington also set a program record in the match with 63 assists.
Central Connecticut junior Makenna Lommori set a program record with 35 kills in a wild five-set victory that featured a record setting score of 46-44 in the fourth set. The Blue Devils (7-12, 3-4 NEC) won the first, third and fifth sets of the match with the Sacred Heart Pioneers (7-13, 2-5 NEC) capturing the second set and the wild fourth frame.
Lommori shattered the previous school record of 27 kills set by Emily Cochran in 2011 against Quinnipiac. Cochran's 27 kills had been the most in a match for a CCSU player under the current 25-point scoring format. The NCAA changed to a 25-point format in 2008. However, Lommori's 35 kills also topped Jackie Jackson's 31 kills, which she posted in 2005 when sets were played to 30 points.
Junior Ashley Lenington also set a program record in the match with 63 assists. Lenington surpassed Amanda Bayer's record (under the current 25-point scoring format) of 60 against Dartmouth in 2008. Bayer and Brynn Good both had 66 assists in a match under the 30-point scoring format.
The Blue Devils won the first set 25-23 and then fell to the Pioneers 25-11 in the second. CCSU rebounded to win the third set 25-19.
CCSU led the fourth set 19-15, but the Pioneers worked their way back and tied the set at 24-24. From that point neither team was able to pull in front by more than a point until Sacred Heart's Tori Kemper connected for back-to-back kills for points 45 and 46 of the set.
The fifth set remained tight with CCSU finally pulling away for a three-point lead, 13-10. The Blue Devils would finish off the set 15-12 and take the match 3-2.
Lommori posted 16 of her 35 kills in the fourth set. She hit .229 for the match and attacked 83 times. She also chipped in with 13 digs. Her 35 kills are also the fourth highest total in NCAA Division I volleyball this season.
Sophomore Nicole Dean (12) and senior Rachel Dunlap (10) also posted double-digit kills in the match. Freshman Nicole Celarek (8) and sophomore Brooke Schwab (7) also had solid offensive matches.
Dunlap also led a team effort at the net that produced 11 blocks. Dunlap recorded eight block assists and a solo block to contribute to nine of the 11. Celarek (4) and junior Ashley Lenington (3) also played well at the net.
Senior Brittany Schumacher posted a match-high 17 digs. She was followed closely by sophomore Rachel Fish with 16 digs.
Fish also posted four service aces in the match.
The Pioneer's hit .292 for the match, while the Blue Devils posted a .242 mark.
More Records
As a team, CCSU also set a program record for the most assists in a match since the start of 2008 with 67 and also matched a program high with 73 kills.
The Blue Devils 44 points in the fourth set rank as the third highest total in NCAA history under the current scoring format. Sacred Heart's 46 points in that set tops the previous record of 45 set by Manhattan in 2009. The combined points by the Blue Devils and Pioneers in the fourth set are also a record under the 25-point format.
The Blue Devils return to action next Saturday at Bryant. That match is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
