Skyhawks claim NE-10 postseason berth with sweep

Erin Johnson led the charge on offense at a .414 clip. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

EASTON, Mass. (November 5, 2010) – The Stonehill College volleyball team, ranked ninth in this week’s NCAA Division II East Regional poll, dispatched Le Moyne College 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-21) at home on Friday in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup. After they were edged out of last year’s tournament in a five-way tiebreaker, the Skyhawks have tonight clinched an NE-10 postseason spot as they improve to 10-4 in conference competition this season.

Senior Erin Johnson (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) landed a game-high 12 kills with a .414 hitting percentage for the Skyhawks, and senior Anna Berthiaume (Somersworth, N.H./Somersworth) and junior Laura Huselton (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) added eight kills each. Freshman Sydney Maxey (Hutto, Texas/Hutto) collected 15 digs and senior Justine Thompson (Merrimack, N.H./Bishop Guertin) recorded 13 to lead the defensive effort, supported by senior setter Andrea Wirth (Mesa, Ariz./St. Mary's), who added 10 digs along with her 26 assists.

The Dolphins got 12 kills from sophomore Allison Hebel (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields), and 11 kills and four block assists from sophomore Bethany Fabian (Lake View, N.Y./Frontier), but were sunk by a Stonehill offense which registered a cumulative sideout percentage of 67% to take control of the match.

The first set was tied early and often as both sides battled through a series of long rallies, but the Skyhawks started to pull away on the strength of a 77% sideout rate, as Johnson led the charge with four kills and senior Laura Noonan (Hampstead, N.H./Bishop Guertin) put down each of her three first-set kills on Le Moyne’s serve. Maxey and Thompson teamed up for a strong defensive effort in the back row to hold off the Le Moyne offense on the way to a 25-18 win.

Stonehill jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the second set, earning a sideout on the first point and taking six straight points on Maxey’s serve. The Dolphins would climb back to within two points at 13-11 behind strong blocking from sophomore Morgan McDermott (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee), but the Skyhawks recovered to dominate the final points and post a 25-15 score. After leading Le Moyne for the entire second set, the Skyhawks had to play from behind for most of the third as the Dolphins clung to a slim lead, but after finally taking a 20-19 lead when Maxey landed a kill just inside the Le Moyne sideline, Stonehill took the next seven points on Wirth’s serve to hold on for the overall win.

Stonehill (14-12, 10-4 NE-10) will host The College of Saint Rose tomorrow at 1 p.m. to conclude regular-season competition.

Below: postgame reactions from freshman Sydney Maxey.