By David .P. 10-7-08 [Modest 2008 CCSU Volleyball Image Gallery]

NEW BRITAIN , CT- The Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils welcomed in the Rhode Island Rams Tuesday night with a hard fought match that went five sets. Both teams had previously beaten in state rivals and were looking to continue their victory streaks. A good crowd was on hand to take in the action on a chilly night.

Set 1

The set opened when URI’s Caitlyn Welsh whipped a spike off the defense and out of bounds, but Tori Vaughan responded with a kill of her own to tie things up. Newberg knocked a ball in from the net on the ensuing rally, but Central’s Jamie Baumert delivered a smash from the net to tie things back up. Lauren Snyder stepped in to serve up an Ace and Central had its first lead of the night. Rhody tied it up at 3-3. Vaughan hammered an attack over to regain the lead, but Rhode Island’s Stacey Yohannes blasted the ball off the blockers to keep the score tied. A Central attack out of bounds gave the visitor’s the lead, but Baumert skillfully tapped the ball into a gap in the front defense to get the score to 5-5.

URI picked up 3 straight points on a pair of Blue Devil errors and a kill, and also benefited during the action from a Yohannes dig to keep the bal in play. When the visitors hit the ball four times on a return the score leveled at 6-8, but a Central attack into the net put the lead at 6-9. CCSU’s Amanda Olmstead returned fire with a mega spike, and following that a miscue from Rhode Island cut the lead to 8-9. On the next play CCSU’s Kaitlin Petrella came up with a really good dig to keep things going, but Welsh spiked off the defense’s dig attempt in response. A serve out of bounds by URI kept the lead at 1, but Welsh smashed the ball off Central’s touch and out of bounds, but Baumert smacked a kill from the net following that. The battle continued with Kayla Wilson’s kill, but an attack out of bounds by the visitors put the score at 11-12.

The Rams started to try to pull away as Newberg received a good set at the net and sent a quick spike flying into the Central zone for the point. Central spiked out of bounds to bring the lead back to 11-14, though the Rams served into the net after that. The next back and forth had a Rhody player digging the ball but it flew over the net for an overpass, only to have it drop in for a point when CCSU misplayed it. Maite Mendizabal spiked off the lock to keep the deficit at 2, 13-15, but Yohannes struck with a mega spike on the next rally. Welsh sent an attack flying off the home team’s hands and out for another point. With the score 13-17 Central called a time out.

A URI attack error cut the lead again, but Central gave a point right back on a serve out of bounds. Snyder crushed an attack off a defensive dig and way out of bounds to cut the lead again, but a pair of Blue Devil errors put the visitor’s lead at 5. Snyder attacked again, knocking the ball off the blockers and out, and another Central kill got the score back within 3. Wilson and Welsh responded with two big kills to regain the 5 point leads, but a serve into the net by the Rams stopped the run at 18-22. Newberg’s block brought them within 2 of the set win, and Central called another time out.

Mendizabal spiked off the blockers to keep Central going, but a home team attack error followed. At URI set point, Olmstead blasted a kill in to prolong the set, but URI’s Lauren McIntosh tapped over the net on the next rally and the Rams won the set 20-25.

Rhode Island 1, Central Connecticut 0.

Set 2

The two teams fought to a 5-5 tie to open the set. Central’s points came of a Olmstead massive spike, a Rhody error, a Olmstead ace on a serve, a Vaughan crosscourt smash from the net, and a Snyder ace. Rhode Island picked up a point on the first rally of the set as well as on a pair of CCSU errors, a Kayla Newberg kill, and a Lindsay Lytle rocket which flew off the defense’s dig and out of bounds. CCSU started to build a lead off a Mendizabal kill, as well as her tandem block with Baumert, followed by a URI error, and Baumert & Amanda Bayer stuffing the Rams with a block. It was 9-5, before Wilson’s smash got the visitors back within 3. An attack error on URI’s part, was then followed by a Olmstead blast and the Blue Devils lead 11-6. On the following rally despite a good defensive play by Olmstead, the Rams got a kill in, but their attack into the net on the next back and forth kept the lead at 5. McIntosh hammered a spike over, but Central scored again following that to bring the set to 13-8.

The two teams traded errors, but Baumert’s spike ricocheted off Rhody and out of bounds to extend the lead to 15-9. A pair of Rams points came afterward, despite a great defensive play by Bayer on the second point. Baumert killed their momentum with another kill, though Lytle tapped the ball from the net to keep their deficit at 4, 16-12. Baumert yet again scored, this time on a tip, and then teamed up with Bayer to stuff the Ram attack. URI hit an attack into the net and the score was 19-12 with Central knocking on the door. A serve out of bounds by the Blue Devils cut the lead, but Baumert came up with another spike. It was 20-13 and the Rams called a time out.

Rhody came out of the play stoppage with Wilson and Newberg stuffing a CCSU attack with a block, and McIntosh picking up another kill. Following a long rally, URI picked up another point when Central couldn’t set up a return. The visitors hit out of bounds on the next rally though and CCSU continued to have a big lead. Olmstead and Bayer came up with a block, though URI had a point of their own and McIntosh and Yohannes blocked to another point and URI was in 4. Snyder tapped into the gap for the 23rd point for her team. Petrella had an amazing save during the next rally which paid off when URI eventually couldn’t get a return over. It was now set point 24-18 and Rhody called a time out.

McIntosh crushed a spike off a good set when play resumed, and Central attacked out of bounds. Vaughan ended the set though when a Rhody overpass flew over the net and she was able to blast it home.

Rhode Island 1, Central Connecticut 1.

Set 3

The set opened up to a 3-3 tie off several errors and kills including points from McIntosh and Rhody, and Snyder picked up a tap over. After that Vaughan smacked a kill off the Rams to take the lead for Central 4-3. Danielle Gasser then stepped into serve for the Blue Devils and kept serving until the score was 11-3. This came off an Ace, a Baumert and Mendizabal tandem block, a pair of URI errors, a Baumert smash, a Mendizabal kill off the blockers to the floor, and a Baumert blast off the defense. This run was in spite of some amazing plays by URI’s libero Peggy Doino to keep the ball in play on several rallies.

The Rams however came back with two straight Yohannes smashes, a CCSU error, and Jillian Bekke’s spike rolling off the defense and too the floor. Central called at time out with the score 11-7 and the run stopped there. The Blue Devils came out of the gate with a Mendizabal smash, followed by Bayer and Olmstead picking up a block on the next back and forth. Olmstead then sent over a spike which the defense mishandled. The score was 14-7, though a Central error gave a point to the visitors. Olmstead smashed through the blockers to regain the 7 point lead, though URI picked up two points on a Blue Devil error and a smash of their own.

Snyder crushed her attack through the lock, and another Central point would follow to make it 17-10. With a ball at the net, McIntosh won the joust at the net and hit the ball in, though Olmstead had another big time spike. Newberg responded with a kill, but Snyder had one of her own off the defenders and out. A URI point followed, though an error on their part after that had Central within five of the set win 20-13. The Blue Devils hit into the net on the next rally, though Baumert tapped over the net for a point. The two teams traded error and it was 22-15. Kalyn Klaess stepped into serve for the Rams, and picked up two straight aces. A long rally followed and kept going, until McIntosh delivered a smash. It was 22-18 and a time out was called.

Play resumed and Mendizabal crushed an attack through the blockers. The Rams picked up two more spikes to pull within 3, 23-20, but Snyder hammered the ball off the blockers and out. Another time out followed at set point, but Central attacked out of bounds and the Rams remained within 3. A URI error ended the set though, 25-21.

Rhode Island 1, Central Connecticut 2.

Set 4

The set open with Central pulling out to a 7-3 lead. Rhody’s offense came from two kills from Chinny Okpara and a spike from McIntosh. Central picked up points of errors as well as a Snyder precision attack to the corner, a Mendizabal kill, and a Mendizabal and Baumert big block. The Rams however climbed back to a 12-12 tie. They picked up points off errors as well as Welsh’s big blast through the defense, Newberg and Okpara’s block, McIntosh’s rocket, and Lytle winning a joust battle at the net and hitting the ball over successfully. Mendizabal picked up a kill, Baumert attacked to a corner, and some URI errors resulted in the five points the Blue Devils picked up during the Rhody comeback.

Central called a time out to regroup.

The Rams came out of the play stoppage with a Lytle blast from the net. Despite a good dig from Mendizabal on the next rally, Lytle won a battle for the ball at the net and picked up another point. Petrella had a good defensive save on the next point but it was Rhody picking up the score when McIntosh delivered a kill. The score was 12-15, but URI served into the net to put the lead back at 2. Despite another great save by Petrella the Blue Devils spiked out of bounds. Olmstead’s kill, and Baumert’s block got the score back to 15-16, though following a long rally, Welsh hammered the ball off the block to keep the lead at 2. A Rhody error coupled with a Baumert and Mendizabal block tied the set up 17-17 though. Baumert then followed that up by stuffing a major URI attack cold and a Rhody error had Central in the lead 19-17. A serve into the net turned the ball and a point back over to Rhode Island though. The next rally was very long and included great defensive plays by Welsh and a pair from Petrella, but was ended with Newberg’s massive spike. Wilson’s kill and Rhody 5 and Welsh’s combined block had Rhody in the lead 19-21 and lead to another Central time out. An attack error and a Lytle service ace put the contest at 19-23. The Rams attacked out of bounds, but Wilson tapped a ball over that the D couldn’t return. URI was within 1 point of the set win, and Newberg ended it with a smash.

Rhode Island 2, Central 2.

Set 5

The shorter decisive set 5 opened with the Rams hitting out of bounds, and Olmstead blasting the ball to the defense’s left corner. A block by Olmstead followed and it was 3-0. The Rams called a time out and McIntosh emerged from it with a huge spike, though Olmstead responded with one of her own. A pair of Blue Devil errors put the Rams back within 1, 4-3, but a very long rally ensued. Bayer came up with a good defensive save during it and eventually came up with another great dig which flew over the net and dropped in for the surprise point. A URI error followed and the home team lead 6-3.

Welsh responded with a kill and a service Ace when the ball hit the net and dropped to the floor. A Central error followed and the score was tied 6-6. CCSU regained the lead with a hit off the blocker, though Rhode Island responded with a kill as well. Central hit into the net and the two sides switched with the score 7-8. The score was tied on a Rhody error, but McIntosh received a nice set and unleashed a mega spike. Following a great defensive save by McIntosh, Okpara tapped the ball over the net. A Central error also followed and the score was 8-11. Another time out was called.

Olmstead smashed to the corner just in bounds to the corner, though Welsh hit to mid court and Okpara picked up a service Ace. Time out was called at 9-13, but Welsh won a battle at the net to put her team within one of the match victory. Olmstead responded with a huge smash, but a serve into the net by Central ended the set and match 10-15.

Rhode Island 3, Central 2.