EASTON, Mass. (September 23, 2023) - The Stonehill College women's volleyball team hosted Saint Francis University (Pa.) in a Northeast Conference matchup, falling in four sets, 3-0, (21-25, 25-16, 16-25, 22-25) at Merkert Gymnasium Saturday night.

Stonehill (1-15, 1-1 NEC): 1

Saint Francis (Pa.) (6-7, 1-1 NEC): 3

(21-25, 25-16, 25-16, 22-25)

Skyhawk Summary

Senior Kristen DeLorenzo (Fayetteville, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) set a new career-high and a Skyhawk season-high with six service aces, also recording 12 digs to pace Stonehill and three assists. Freshman Georgia Murphy (Plano, Texas/John Paul II) tallied a career-high five service aces as well as a team-high eight kills and seven digs. Senior Lauren McCloskey (Salem, N.H./Salem) led the Skyhawks with six block assists, setting a new season high. The senior also had six kills on a 41.7% hit rate and a service ace to her credit. Freshman Lauren MacKellar (Northville, Mich./Northville) notched six kills and two block assists in the match. Sophomore Delaney Mihelich (Fullerton, Calif./Rosary Academy) assisted on a team-high 15 points. Stonehill junior Emma Graves (Berkshire, N.Y./Newark Valley) recorded four kills, a solo block, and three block assists.

How it Happened

SET 1 | The two conference foes started the match close before a 7-0 run from the Red Flash gave them an 11-3 lead. Four of the next five points went to the Skyhawks as they climbed out of their eight-point deficit to make the score 12-7. Saint Francis built their lead back up to eight points (16-8), but Stonehill wouldn't let it grow any larger for the rest of the set. Late in the opening frame, the Skyhawks scored five consecutive points to pull within one (21-20) of the Red Flash. A 4-1 scoring run from Saint Francis gave them a 25-21 win in the first set.

SET 2 | Three straight points from the Skyhawks thanks to two service aces from Murphy gave Stonehill a 3-0 lead. Six of the following eight points went to the Skyhawks to increase their lead to seven (9-2). Stonehill carried their strong start through the middle of the set as they went up 12 points (17-5) on Saint Francis as Graves stood tall along the net with two block assists during the run. A 6-1 scoring spurt from the Red Flash trimmed their deficit back down to single digits (18-11). The Skyhawk lead proved to be too much for Saint Francis as they never trailed in the set, winning 25-16 to tie the match.

SET 3 | The Red Flash fell behind 1-0 but scored three unanswered points before doubling their two-point lead early in the third set (10-6). Following a timeout from Stonehill, the Skyhawks would respond with a 5-1 run to tie things up, 11-11. Stonehill built on their momentum to take their second lead of the set at 13-12 following Murphy's fifth service ace of the match. 11 of the following 13 points, including an 8-0 run, went to Saint Francis to regain the lead as they went up 23-15. The Red Flash closed out the third set, winning 25-16.

SET 4 | Stonehill and Saint Francis went back-and-forth in the third set with the first ten points of the frame being split by the two teams (5-5). Four straight from the Red Flash gave them a 9-5 lead before the Skyhawks responded with seven out of eight scores in the set to take a two-point lead (12-10). The match remained close as the two teams found themselves tied nine more times in the set as the score was 22-22 down the stretch. Saint Francis scored three of the next to win the final set 25-22 and the match, 3-1.

Up Next 

Stonehill Volleyball is back in action next weekend as they host two Northeast Conference matchups at 5 p.m. both days, hosting Sacred Heart on Friday and Central Connecticut State on Saturday. 

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