EASTON, Mass. (November 5, 2022)- The Stonehill College women's volleyball team pushed the Northeast Conference's top team, Sacred Heart University, to four sets but unfortunately came up short, 3-1 (16-25, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25). Prior to today's match, the Skyhawks honored their three seniors: Kristen Joyce, Amanda Maier, and Molly Turner. Stonehill College athletics would like to thank our seniors for all their efforts for the Stonehill volleyball program over their careers!

Joyce led the offense with 10 kills Saturday as it marked the first time this year and in her career, she finished with at least 10 kills. Right behind her was Emma Graves with nine kills and she has now posted five or more kills in eight of her last nine matches. Turner finished the day with 18 assists and she has now eclipsed the 1,000-assist mark (1,003) for her career. She is just one of nine Skyhawks in program history to achieve to reach the century mark. Delaney Mihelich was not far behind with 13 assists and she has now posted 10 or more assists in 11-straight contests. Defensively, Kristen DeLorenzo again led the squad with 12 digs and Lauren McCloskey finished with a team-high two solo blocks.

Sacred Heart jumped out to a quick 7-4 lead but after a couple of attack errors by the Pioneers, the Skyhawks found themselves down one. However, Sacred Heart pushed ahead to an 18-10 lead courtesy of an 11-4 run before Stonehill had to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Sacred Heart continued their offensive push and closed out the opening set on a 7-6 push for a 25-16 win. In the opening set, four different Skyhawks registered two kills (Joyce, Maier, Graves, and Kaitlyn Watson). 

In the second set, Sacred Heart continued where it left off and was up 8-5 early, but Stonehill pushed back and knotted things at nine thanks to a 4-1 rally highlighted by kills from Mia Berardino and Graves along with a service ace by Turner. The Skyhawks kept the pressure on the Pioneers and tied things two more times. The first tie came when Graves and McCloskey teamed up on a block that tied things at 12 and then McCloskey tied things up again at 13. Sacred Heart again put themselves up three later in the set (18-15) but again Stonehill continued to put pressure on Sacred Heart and was down one (20-19) after the squad capitalized on a Sacred Heart attack error. Despite being down one, the Pioneers took set two, 25-20 thanks to a 5-1 run.

Stonehill jumped out to a 6-4 lead thanks to kills from Watson, Joyce, and McCloskey. However, Sacred Heart evened the match at nine and utilized a 7-1 run for their largest lead of the set (18-12). Despite the large lead, the Skyhawks battled back and tied things at 22 thanks to a 10-4 rally spearheaded by three service aces by Bianca Fitch. Sacred Heart quickly retook the lead (23-22) but Stonehill rallied with three-straight points highlighted by a Berardino kill that wrapped up the third set for Stonehill, 25-23.

In the final set, Sacred Heart raced out to a 10-5 lead which led to a Stonehill timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Pioneers continued their offensive push and doubled up the Skyhawks, 18-9. However, like most of the day, the Purple and White battled back and were down three (19-16) thanks to a 7-1 rally highlighted by two services aces from Watson and two kills from Joyce. After Sacred Heart pushed their lead to four (22-18), Graves had her ninth kill and pulled the squad within two (22-20). However, the Pioneers closed out the match on a 3-1 run for a 25-21 victory.

Up Next

Stonehill is back in action next Friday when the Skyhawks start a two-game road trip at Long Island University at 5 p.m.

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