MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team celebrated Senior Day in style on Saturday, sweeping the visitors from Assumption University in three sets. The Hawks improved to a 13-9 overall record with the victory at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
UP NEXT:
- The Hawks hit the road to conclude the regular season, taking on the University of New Haven on Friday, Nov. 10 before facing Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Score: Saint Anselm 3, Assumption 0
Records: Saint Anselm 13-9 (4-5 NE10), Assumption 6-13 (1-9 NE10)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Stoutenburgh Gymnasium)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023
Attendance: 117
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Prior to the match, the team's seniors from the class of 2024, including Audrey Wetjen (Henderson, Nev.), Emma Adams (Gary, Texas), Emily Pender (Sparks, Nev.), Kaitlin Brown (Glendale, Ariz.), Alina Barbarena (Los Angeles, Calif.) and team manager Kaitlin Sundstrom were recognized for their contributions to the program. Junior Jada Burdier (Haverhill, Mass.) was also recognized, as she will be graduating a year early.
- Saint Anselm sprinted out to a 14-4 lead in the first set, thanks to three kills from Brown. The Hawks continued by scoring six of the set's next seven points, opening up a commanding 20-6 advantage.
- In total, the Hawks had a .409 hitting percentage in the opening stanza, hammering home 11 kills with just two attacking errors, while the Greyhounds registered nine attacking errors on 37 attempts.
- A critical 6-0 scoring spurt by the hosts created distance in the second set, turning a narrow 8-5 lead into a 14-5 bulge. Two kills from Brown and a service ace by Wetjen fueled the run.
- Pender came on in relief for Saint Anselm and produced two kills late in the second set en route to a 25-14 victory, giving the Hawks a 2-0 advantage in the match.
- The Greyhounds sprinted out to a 13-4 advantage in the third set, leading by nine points before the Hawks closed the match on a 21-8 scoring run.
- Assumption still led by a 21-20 margin late before Saint Anselm pulled away via two Greyhounds attacking errors and a service ace by Burdier. On match point, Assumption committed a net violation to lift Saint Anselm to the victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Saint Anselm hit a combined .301 in the match, the third time this season that the Hawks have registered an attacking percentage north of 30%.
- Pender recorded seven kills on 15 swings in the match, hitting a team-best .400 to establish a career-high.
- Brown finished the match with 11 kills, leading the Hawks, while the trio of sophomore Abigail Macalaguim (Chula Vista, Calif.), freshman Sam Pila (Melbourne, Australia) and Barbarena posted nine assists each.
- Brown and Belmontez tied for the team lead with nine digs.
- The Hawks posted 12 service aces while the visitors were limited to just two in the afternoon.
- Fifth-year Caroline Belmontez (San Diego, Calif.) came into the match with 1,634 career digs and now sits at 1,649, trailing the all-time program leader, Karen Lyons '05, by just 60 (1,709).
- Saint Anselm extended its winning streak over Assumption to 13 matches since Sept. 2, 2016. The Hawks enjoy a 35-14 (.714) advantage in the all-time series with the Greyhounds.
STAY CONNECTED:
