Volleyball Falls to Sacred Heart
Blue Devils held off by NEC-leading Pioneers.
The Central Connecticut volleyball team dropped a tightly contested match to Sacred Heart, 3-1, on Saturday at Detrick Gymnasium. The Northeast Conference-leading Pioneers needed four sets (25-23, 30-28, 23-25, 25-17) before claiming the victory. With the loss Central falls to 10-13 overall and 2-8 in the NEC, while Sacred Heart moves to 14-9 overall and 8-1 in the NEC.
SHU used a run of three straight points to break a 10-10 tie in the first set and force a CCSU timeout. Following the break, Central came out and took a 16-15 lead after four unanswered points capped off with a kill by junior Cassidy Stankowski. The Pioneers rallied and eventually took the lead for good after a kill by Allison Riggs to make it 19-18. The Pioneers won the set on a kill from Tori Kemper.
The Blue Devils pushed the Pioneers to the brink in the second set and neither team was able to build a lead of more than three points. Central took a timeout after trailing 23-21 and promptly tied the set after a kill by senior Makenna Lommori and an SHU error. The Pioneers twice fought off chances for CCSU to serve for the set following kills by senior Heather Trueman and managed to take a 2-0 lead after a kill by Bruna Bon and then a block by Sarah Krufka and Katie Direnzo.
Central rebounded by racing out to a 12-1 lead in the third set. Stankowski served the first eight points for Central and junior Erika Jones had a pair of kills to help the Blue Devils get off to a fast start. The Pioneers managed to chip away and close within 21-20 after an ace by Krufka. The Blue Devils dug in and won the set, 25-23, after a kill by Lommori.
The Blue Devils took a 10-4 lead in the fourth set after junior Brooke Schwab notched a kill and then served three straight points. The Pioneers responded, however, and took a 13-10 lead after a run of points served by Direnzo. Sacred Heart went on to close out the set, 25-17, and win the match.
Lommori finished with a double-double of 20 kills and 20 assists, while chipping in seven digs. Senior Ashley Lenington led Central with 22 assists, while Stankowski and junior Rachel Fish each had 14 digs.
Krufka led Sacred Heart with 22 kills, while Kiki Robinson had 29 assists. Bon had 12 digs.
Central returns to action on Sunday with a 3:00 p.m. match against Fairleigh Dickinson in Detrick Gymnasium.