GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team was tripped up by Adelphi University in a straight-set loss on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks fall to 3-4 in Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference play, while the Panthers improve to a 6-1 league record with the victory.
UP NEXT:
- The Hawks return to the Hilltop for their next NE10 match on Tuesday, Oct. 31st, hosting crosstown rival Southern New Hampshire University at 7:00 p.m. from Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
Score: Saint Anselm 0, Adelphi 3
Records: Saint Anselm (12-8, 3-4 NE10); Adelphi (19-5, 6-1 NE10)
Location: Garden City, N.Y. (Center for Recreation and Sport)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Attendance: 93
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Adelphi jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead to start the first set of the match. Senior Audrey Wetjen (Henderson, Nev.) tallied her first kill of the contest to cut the Panthers lead in half to 8-4. Following a kill from senior Kaitlin Brown (Glendale, Ariz.) to make it 11-6, Adelphi went on a 10-1 run to extend their advantage to 21-7. Freshmen Miia Dembski (Lancaster, N.Y.) and Hollyn Frano (Cave Creek, Ariz.) each posted late kills, but Adelphi secured the first set by a final score of 25-9.
- The Hawks began the second set by winning the opening three points thanks to a kill from freshman Melis Kocak (East Greenwich, R.I.) and a pair of consecutive aces by Brown. A kill from Lilyen McCarthy gave the Panthers their first lead of the set at 5-4. Both teams continued to exchange points until Saint Anselm connected five straight points midway through the set highlighted by four kills from Brown and an ace by freshman Sam Pila (Melbourne, Australia) to make it 13-11 Hawks. The Panthers responded by going on an 11-1 run to help earn them a 25-17 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
- The third started with back-forth action with Dembski tallying two early kills as well as a service ace from senior Alina Barbarena (Los Angeles, Calif.) to put the Hawks up 4-3. Kocak registered another kill to narrow Adelphi's advantage to just one point, but the Panthers pulled away with a 6-1 run to make it 16-10. Saint Anselm capitalized on Panther attacking errors along with a kill from Wetjen to keep the score close in the third set. The Hawks continued to battle, but the Panthers would win set three, 25-20, and earn the 3-0 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Brown led the Hawks with 10 kills along with five digs, three aces, and a block. Dembski recorded a season-high five kills as well as three digs and a pair of blocks.
- On the passing effort, Pila dished out 23 assists in the match along with seven digs, an ace, and a block.
- Fifth-year Caroline Belmontez (San Diego, Calif.) led the team with 11 digs, while Wetjen ended the day with three blocks.
- This marked the 19th meeting between these two programs, with Adelphi now leading 17-2 in the all-time series.
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