Laura Noonan's blocking was part of a balanced offensive night for the Skyhawks.

Balanced offensive attack earns Skyhawks the sweep

EASTON, Mass. (October 8, 2010) – The Stonehill College volleyball team swept past Assumption College 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-18) in a Northeast-10 matchup at home on Friday, improving to 5-0 in conference competition.

Senior Erin Johnson (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) hit .444 with nine kills, freshman Rachel Sperando (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) hit .389 with eight kills, and junior Laura Huselton (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) added six kills and 12 digs. The Skyhawks’ balanced offensive effort saw six different players record kills, and the team racked up 12 total blocks on the night, including two solo putbacks by senior Anna Berthiaume (Somersworth, N.H./Somersworth) and five block assists by senior Laura Noonan (Hampstead, N.H./Bishop Guertin).

Senior Andrea Wirth (Mesa, Ariz./St. Mary's) and sophomore Erin Kelly (Tinley Park, Ill./Marist) split setting duties, each collecting 16 assists.

Assumption was led by seven kills apiece from freshmen Lauren Ostafin (Avon, Conn./Avon) and Mary Johnston (Pearland, Texas/Glenda Dawson), and 12 digs by freshman Kristin Flatekval (Mahwah, N.J./Immaculate Heart).

Stonehill rolled to a 25-12 win in the first set behind five kills from Johnson and solid blocking by Noonan and freshman Kirsten Arvidson (Andover, Mass./Andover), and never trailed in the second set after opening the game with a 6-0 run on Kelly’s serve. Huselton put down four kills in the game, and Sperando chipped in two.

The night wrapped up with a 25-18 third set, and after the game was tied five times early on, the Skyhawks took control to complete the sweep.

Stonehill (7-7, 5-0 NE-10) will host the second of two “Dig Pink” matches tomorrow, taking on Saint Michael’s College at 1 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to contribute to the Side-Out Foundation, established in 2004 to promote breast cancer awareness, education, and fundraising through volleyball.