Newport News, Va. – The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s volleyball team knocked off Gallaudet University in four sets in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday morning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Neither side could get in front by more than two points early in the opening stanza, as a kill from first-year outside hitter Sarah Bolduc made it 5-3. With the score level at eight, senior Cleo Shannon put down a kill to kick-start a 5-0 run. Bolduc added two kills during the spurt as the Ducks took advantage of two hitting errors from the Bison.
Gallaudet closed to within three at 15-12, but Stevens countered six of the next seven to stretch the lead to 21-13. Graduate student Meg Dion capped off the run with a solo block. The Bison responded with three consecutive markers, but Shannon pinned down a Molly Harris and a Bailey Axelrad ace, making it 23-15. Dion notched a kill to make it 24-17 before Vivian Lisboa and Shannon teamed up for a double-block to clinch set one.
The Bison jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second stanza before kills from Shannon and Bolduc tied the frame at three. The Ducks used a 4-0 run to go in front 8-4, with Lisboa and Bolduc posting kills and Elle Maggio tallying a double block with Lisboa. Gallaudet answered with six straight markers to take a small one-point lead. The set was tied at 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 before a block by Parker Adkins and a kill from Lisboa made it 20-18.
The two teams traded the next two markers as Stevens clung to a 21-20 edge. Consecutive service aces inched Gallaudet back in front 22-21, and after unforced errors, the Bison led 23-22. Shannon put away an overpass, and Harris sent a ball over on two to make it 24-23 Stevens. After a timeout, Dion rejected an attack for the solo block, putting the Ducks up 2-0Kraver’sKraver’s strong serving gave Stevens a 5-0 lead early, as the first-year delivered three aces during the run. The lead grew to seven at 10-3, as Adkins registered back-to-back kills. The Bison fought back, forcing Stevens into their first timeout of the third set on the heels of a 5-0 run. Gallaudet kept it within one and did not allow Stevens to take control midway through the stanza.
The Bison tied set three at 14 on a kill and went in front 17-15 on a kill and block from Anya Pothorski, forcing Stevens into their second timeout of the set. Stevens tied the frame at 17, and the score remained deadlocked at 18, 19, and 20 before the Bison reeled off three straight markers to go up 23-20. An attack error stopped the momentum, but a kill from Jada Zarembka brought up the set point. The Ducks fended off one set point on a Shannon and Dion block, but Bison claimed the final point to win 25-22.
The nip-tuck match continued to go back-and-forth, with ties at 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 before kills from Maggio, Adkins, and Harris pushed Stevens up 9-7. A solo block by Dion and a pair of unforced attack errors stretched the Ducks margin to 13-10. Bolduc put down two kills, and Axelrad served up an ace as the Ducks lead grew to six at 16-10.
The Bison didn’t go away, matching Stevens point-for-point and keep the gap within six. A Lisboa ace made it 22-15, and an attack error on a free ball pushed it to 23. Gallaudet countered with two straight points to back to six at 23-17, and Stevens took their first timeout of the frame. Adkins sealed the match for Stevens as she registered back-to-back kills, including the final one on match point.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Stevens has won at least one match in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons.
- Bolduc posted her second career double-double, with the other coming on November 9 against Drew. The first-year collected 13 kills and 10 digs.
- Shannon matched a season-high with five blocks, as Dion registered six (three solo, three assists)
- Adkins (12) and Shannon (10) joined Bolduc with double-digit kills.
- Stevens totaled 12 blocks on the day, one off of their season-high.
UP NEXT
The Ducks will face the winner of Washington & Lee University and John Jay College in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 4:30 pm.
