Volleyball Drops Pair of Close Matches Saturday

The Central Connecticut volleyball team fell in a pair of matches Saturday at the CCSU Invitational in New Britain, CT. Central fell to Bucknell in five sets before falling in four sets to Rhode Island. Junior Samantha McCreath had a pair of double-doubles to lead the Blue Devils.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 2, Bucknell 3 (25-14, 28-30, 25-16, 13-25, 15-10)
Records: CCSU (3-5), Bucknell (8-1)
Location: CCSU Invitational (Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT)

KEY MOMENTS 

• After dropping the opening set, CCSU built a 7-2 lead in the second set. Bucknell would draw even at 20-20 and the teams went back and forth before CCSU took advantage of two errors to win the set.
• Central extended the match to a fifth set by hitting .421 as a team in the fourth frame. CCSU scored nine straight points to build a 11-3 lead and pulled away.
• Bucknell scored three straight to go ahead 6-3 in the decisive set. CCSU would tie it at 6-6 before the Bison went on a 8-3 run to take control.

NUMBER TO KNOW

11-22-11– Senior Madelyn Kaprelyan had a triple-double with 11 kills, 22 assists and 11 digs.

NOTES 

• Kaprelyan's triple-double was her second of the season.
• Juniors Emma Henderson and Samantha McCreath each had 15 kills. McCreath added 13 digs for a double-double.
• Senior Erin McDermott had 24 assists to lead Central, while added 15 digs.
• CCSU finished with 10 blocks.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 1, Rhode Island (25-21, 25-14, 16-25, 25-23)
Records: CCSU (3-6), URI (2-7)
Location: CCSU Invitational (Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT)

COACH QUOTE | Complete Postgame

"Two very close matches," said head coach Linda Sagnelli following Saturday's matches. "The Rhode Island match I think we started flat. I don't know if it was the emotion drained from the first match we had, but we addressed that in one of our timeout huddles."

KEY MOMENTS 

• The teams traded leads in the opening set, CCSU led by as much as 10-6, but URI would score three straight to take a late lead and finish with the final two points to win the set.
• The Rams jumped out to a 4-1 lead and would close the frame with an 8-3 run to take control of the match.
• Central gutted out a win in the third setby scoring the first five points. The lead woud shrink to 11-8, but a late run of four straight points would put the Blue Devils in control.
• CCSU erased a 7-2 deficit in the fourth frame and would lead at 22-21, but the Rams would score the final two points to win the match.

NUMBER TO KNOW

.500 – CCSU committed just one hitting error in the third set, while hitting .500 as a team.

NOTES 

• McCreath had a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs.
• Junior Ashlyn Eisenga had 18 digs for the Blue Devils. 
• Senior Erin McDermott had 23 assists, while sophomore Natalie Novak added 10 assists and seven digs.
• Freshman Isabelle Roufs had 10 kills and a team-high four blocks.
• McCreath was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Karla Seda (Saint Peter's), Natalie Zanellato and Gabrielle Shilling (URI) and Bridgette Holland, Sophie Bullard and Brooke Stark (Bucknell). Stark was named MVP.

   

UP NEXT
Central returns to action at the Hartford Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21.