Sept. 23, 2005

Final Stats

FAIRFIELD, CT (September 23, 2005) - The Sacred Heart volleyball team lost a four game match to the Rider University Broncs in their first game of the SHU Invitational Friday night at the William H. Pitt Center. The Pioneers fall to 2-8 on the year while Rider improves to 5-8 overall.

The Broncs posted a 30-21 win in game one but the Pioneers would answer with a 30-22 win in game two. Rider fought their way to a 30-25 win in game three and battled back from a 23-15 deficit in game four to win the match 30-27.

The Pioneers were led by senior Heather Brooks (Regina, SK) who posted 10 kills and four total blocks. Junior Brenda Bailey (Costa Mesa, CA) finished with nine kills and 11 digs. Senior Michelle Clarke (Baltimore, MD) passed our 29 assists and also recorded 10 digs with three service aces. Freshman libero Katie Thomas (Wappingers Falls, NY) and junior Justina Bell (Holcomb, KS) led the team defensively with 12 digs apiece.

Rider got double digit kills from seniors Stefanie Lombardo and Jennifer Drummond. Lobardo came away with a match-high 16 kills with seven digs and three service aces. Drummond added 12 kills to her 20 assists and seven digs. Sophomore libero Nastasja Avramovic made a team-best 15 digs while freshman Lacey Johnson added 10 over her own.

Saint Peter's defeated Maryland Eastern Shore, 3-0 (30-16, 30-18, 30-15)

In the first match of the day, the Saint Peter's Peahens defeated the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks in three-straight games, 30-16, 30-18 and 30-15.

Peahen junior Serra Soylu led her team to victory with 11 kills while hitting .611 in the match. Her 11 kills came in 18 attempts without an error. Senior setter Alma Qose led the offense to a team percentage of .326 (41-12-89) with 32 assists while adding six digs to the defensive effort. Senior Gulhan Cakcak led the defense with 10 digs while serving six aces on the afternoon.

UMES got eight kills from freshman Chanita Wesley while fellow freshman setter Yael Rozner contributed 15 assists with 10 digs.

The tournament continues tomorrow with three matches. The Pioneers faced St. Peter's at noon, the Broncs and Hawks play at 2 pm and SHU will close it out against UMES at 4 pm.

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