Feeman recorded 13 kills and a .571 hitting percentage with four blocks tonight (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Akiona sends Chargers to seventh NE10 Championship appearance with 21 kills  

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 19, 2021) – No. 2-seeded University of New Haven battled back from seven points down to avoid going two sets down and didn't look back in posting a 3-1 (16-25, 28-26, 25-18, 25-21) triumph over No. 3-seeded Stonehill College in semifinal round action at the 2021 Northeast-10 Conference Volleyball Tournament, hosted by top-seeded American International College, at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium tonight. 

The Details 

• Senior Jessica Akiona powered New Haven with a match-high 23 kills, with just two attack errors for a .514 hitting percentage, 13 digs and two block assists on the night.
• Freshman Sophia Leon-Tabor dished out 43 assists, a service ace, seven digs and a block assist, while junior Emily Barry notched a double-double for the Chargers with ten kills and a match-high 18 digs.
• Senior Clare Feeman keyed Stonehill's attack with 13 kills and just one attack error for a .571 hitting percentage, with two assists, two service aces, four digs and four blocks (one solo).

• Remick totaled a season-high 18 kills and posted her 12th double-double of the season (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

  Classmate Abby Remick posted her 12^th double-double of the season (16^th career) for Stonehill with a team and season-high 18 kills and ten digs, with two block assists.
• Junior Molly Turner delivered 22 assists and three service aces, while senior Carly Russell chipped in 14 digs and three assists.
• Stonehill hit .500 (16-2-28) in rolling for a set one win, behind five Feeman kills and two blocks, teaming up with Remick to block down set point.
• Stonehill looked poised to grab complete control of the match with a two-set lead, holding a seven-point advantage in the frame (22-15) after a New Haven attack error, but the Chargers used a 7-1 run to close within a point (23-22) after consecutive Skyhawks attack errors.
• Sophomore Lauren McCloskey gave Stonehill set point with a kill, but New Haven staved off the two set points with an Akiona kill before two more Skyhawks attack errors suddenly saw the Chargers at set point (25-24) themselves.
• Stonehill pulled even with a block from Remick and McCloskey followed by another Akiona kill to give New Haven its second set point.
• Stonehill drew even once more with a New Haven attack error, but freshman Macy Brown registered a kill and then the Chargers pulled even in the match at a set apiece with a Skyhawks attack error.
• Remick totaled nine kills in the set for Stonehill, while Akiona totaled eight with just one attack error, to go with nine digs.
• New Haven rode the momentum of the second set rally to a comfortable set two win and then grabbed an early lead in the fourth set (9-3) after a Brown kill.
• Stonehill chipped away an drew back within five (18-13) on senior Lauren Wilke's serve, and then cut the gap to two (23-21) after a Turner ace and Feeman kill.
• New Haven held there, though, and clinched the match with back-to-back kills from Barry.
• Stonehill, which was making its 11^th appearance in an NE10 semifinal, saw its quest for its first ever NE10 Championship match appearance halted.

Up Next

New Haven (22-8, 10-3 NE10) advances to tomorrow evening's NE10 Championship match, where it will face top-seeded and host American International College at 5 p.m. The Yellow Jackets also battled back from a set down for a 3-1 (29-31, 25-19, 25-15, 25-20) triumph over No. 4-seed and defending champions Bentley University in tonight's first semifinal. Stonehill, ranked No. 2 in the latest NCAA Division II East Region rankings, awaits a certain third NCAA Tournament bid in program history, when the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament Selection Show airs on ncaa.com on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

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