RINDGE, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team battled through five sets to come out victorious against NE10 opponent Franklin Pierce Friday evening.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm travels to crosstown opponent Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday November 12th for their last road game of the regular season.
Score: Saint Anselm 3, Franklin Pierce 2
Records: Saint Anselm (8-14, 2-6 NE10); Franklin Pierce (2-17, 0-9 NE10)
Location: Rindge, N.H. (The Fieldhouse)
Date: Friday, November 8th, 2024
Attendance: 54
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- In the first set Saint Anselm jumped to a 4-2 opening lead behind a Hollyn Frano (Cave Creek, Ariz.) service ace. The two teams would then go on to exchange points with the Hawks finding their attack from Abigail Macalaguim (Chula Vista, Fla.) and the Ravens tallying kills from Katholiki Koukia. Then Saint Anselm found their swings. Frano and Melis Kocak (Greenwich, R.I.) each tallying a kill with teammate Petrina Ofori (Hudson, N.H.) grabbing her first collegiate kill in the mix. After earning a 16-12 lead the Hawks would go on a 9-6 run from an exchange of points. One final kill from Taylor Lacerda (Franklin, Mass.) would finalize the Hawks 25-18 victory.
- Saint Anselm would continue their run into the second set of play taking a 7-3 lead with Kocak, Frano and Ofori still swinging strong. The teams would exchange a handful of points before the Hawks exploded. Saint Anselm went on a 12-1 run to end the set. The offensive gears fired on a high clip as the team tallied four kills and three service aces, winning a dominate 25-12.
- Franklin Pierce would turn the tables in the third set, taking a 5-3 lead to begin. The Ravens begin to fire then offensives motion with kills being the majority of their scores. Halfway through the second set the teams would be knotted at 14. For the Hawks Lacerda and Kocak would rally, each tabbing kills. Saint Anselm would take the lead 19-15 as Jada Burdier (Haverhill, Mass.) added herself to the service ace tally. Franklin Pierce responded with a pair of kills from Koukia and Avery Leblanc. The Hawks found their final point off of a service ace from Skylar Ryan (Channahon, Ill.) before the Ravens scored the final three off of attacking errors from the visitors. Franklin Pierce extended the match, winning 25-23.
- The fourth set continued to be a battle for the two teams as the openings runs put the score at 6-5 Saint Anselm. Franklin Pierce would then grab momentum scoring six straight points as the Hawks failed to have a response to the Ravens serving. Once being able to return the serving Saint Anselm would go on their own six-point run. Lacerda would grab two service aces and Frano and Sam Pila (Melbourne, Australia) tallied kills. This run exchange repeated itself once more before a pair of kills from Leblanc would force a fifth set.
- Saint Anselm began the fifth set on a tear taking a 5-2 lead behind a pair of kills from Kocak. Franklin Pierce would not fall easily, bringing the game within two point as LeBlanc continued to thrive. Another kill from Frano would pause their run but The Ravens would take a 12-11 edge. Four straight points from the Hawks would allow for a 15-12 win, finalizing the match win for Saint Anselm.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Kocak led the offensive strike tallying a career-high 20 kills, to go along with a block and four digs. Frano followed with 18 of her own kills, including tabbing her 500th career-kill. Frano also grabbed a service ace and four digs.
- Macalaguim kept the streak of filling the stats for the team tabbing 46 assists, five service aces, three kills and 11 kills.
- Defensively, Madeline Burke (Lake George, N.Y.) led the way tallying 16 total digs and six assists .
- As a team, Saint Anselm finished the match with 36 kills, 50 digs, and two service aces.
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