Volleyball Wins CCSU Invitational With Perfect 3-0 Record
Blue Devils are back in action next weekend at the University of Hartford Tournament
The Central Connecticut women's volleyball team won the 2016 CCSU Invitational with a perfect 3-0 record this weekend. On Saturday they defeated Lehigh (1-2) 3-2 and then topped Fordham (2-1) 3-1 to move to a perfect 3-0 on the young season. The win over Fordham saw the Blue Devils post 17.5 team blocks and 46 kills.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
In the first match of the day the Blue Devils needed five sets but moved to 2-0 on the season with a 3-2 win over Lehigh. Senior Cassidy Stankowski led the offensive attack with 13 kills and also added 10 digs for her first double-double of the season.
Central won the first set 25-16 but Lehigh won set two 25-22. Central rebounded and took the third 25-22, but Lehigh answered again with a 25-23 win in the fourth set. Central's 15-10 score in the fifth set gave them their first five set win of the season.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Kushman had 26 assists in the victory, while freshman Erin McDermott added 17. Senior Rachel Fish led the defensive effort with 22 digs. The Blue Devils had 72 as a team. Junior Maddie Smith had eight blocks, while senior Brooke Schwab added six to go along with 10 kills. Smith also had 10 kills in the victory. Freshman morgan Woycik had eight kills and eight blocks as the Blue Devils posted 16 total team blocks in the match.
Central played immediately following the win over Lehigh and faced off against 2-0 Fordham. The Blue Devils came out strong and won the first set 25-19, but then dropped the second by an identical score. They rebounded and won the third set 25-23 before winning the fourth 25-21 and claiming the Invitational title.
Freshman Morgan Woycik led the offense with 10 kills and added seven block assists. Sophomore Raquel Quirarte added 10 kills and 11 digs while also posting four block assists.
Kushman had 19 assists while McDermott added 15 in the win. Fish had 19 digs to go along with six assists. Schwab and Stankowski each added eight kills in the victory.
The Blue Devils will return to action at the Hartford Invitational on Friday and Saturday of next weekend. They will face Manhattan, Rhode Island and Hartford in the two day invite.
CCSU Invitational All-Tournament Team
MVP - Morgan Woycik, CCSU
Rachel Fish, Brooke Schwab, CCSU
Olivia Fairchild, Morgan Williams, Fordham
Emily Develle, Lehigh
Jessica Paolucci, Iona