By D.F. Pendrys

NEW HAVEN, CT – The SCSU Owls Women’s Volleyball Team picked up a victory over Assumption Saturday afternoon in four sets 3-1. It all started with a 25-15 win in set 1. Assumption would respond though. Southern pulled out to a 10-6 lead but a time out by Assumption seemed to work wonders as the visitors were able to pull back even and the score was soon 13-13. Assumption gained the lead briefly, but the Owls took it right back thanks to kills from Abigail Epstein, Erika Benson, and an ace from Epstein. However another time out blunted the momentum and Asssumption climbed back into the tying the set and then taking the lead thanks to kills from Alexis Distasio and Carly Goodhue. A pair of SCSU miscues and a kill from Goodhue put the score at a precarious 18-22 advantage for Assumption. SCSU tried to get back into it, but the visitors closed the set out a few points later with a final total of 21-25.

After the sweep was taken off the stable, SCSU returned to more dominant ways and put up a score similar to set 1 in set 3. They set up an early lead of 7-2 causing a quick Assumption time out, but continued to build the lead. When Assumption called their next time out, SCSU was still ahead by double, 18-9. A few Assumption points would follow but Benson launched a rocket of a kill in to stop the momentum of a run. Goodhue picked up a kill, but Gabriela Vazquez responded immediately tapping over a for another point, and Jamie Allen picked up two straight Aces for the Owls. An error and a kill from Epstein ended the set with a score of 25-13.

Set 4 was a closer affair, though Assumption started with a lead of 3-7. SCSU however climbed right back into it and got to 6-7, causing a visitor’s time out. The stoppage failed to work as SCSU kept going and instead took a lead of 11-8, leading to another Assumption time out which did not have the dried effect. When play resumed Gabriela Gaibur served up an Ace and fellow Gabriela, Vazquez tapped over another attack for two more quick points. SCSU kept rolling though Assumption kept up their pursuit and got within 15-13. Two big kills from Epstein lengthened the lead gain though Assumption closed within 2 again. This time Gaibur blasted the ball through the defense, Epstein served another service Ace, and Benson came up with another kill that couldn’t be returned for a five point lead. Assumption picked up two points, but three more points were SCSU’s and within just a few more back and forth exchanges the Owls closed it out as Kacey Deecher spiked her attack through the defense to end it 25-19. Set and match.

For Assumption, Goodhue had 12 kills and Distasio had 9. Anna Hruska had a solo block, and Distasio and Ruthie Ridderhoff shared a block. Sophia Noel had 26 Assists, and Barbara Illig had 28 digs.

For SCSU, Benson had 16 kills, Epstein had 15, Vazquez had 12 and Gaibur had 10. Benson hit for .577 percent and Epstein hit for .433. Taylor Jones had 57 Assists (a new program record), and Krishnalei So’oto had 21 Digs. Epstein had 4 Aces, Jones had 3, and Sophia Castellano and Allen had 2. Epstein had one solo block and two shared blocks. Vazquez and Benson had 3 shared blocks apiece, and Gaibur had 2 shared blocks too.

Coach Lisa Barbaro’s SCSU squad rises to 22-8 and 8-3 in the NE10. Coach Kyle Medeiros and Assumption drop to 7-9,5-6 in the NE10.