Nov. 11, 2007

Final Stats

FAIRFIELD, CT - A 7-0 run by Central Connecticut in the fifth and deciding game erased an 8-6 Sacred Heart lead and lifted the Blue Devils to a 15-10 win in the game, and a 3-2 win in a Northeast Conference game Sunday afternoon.

Central Connecticut, 23-6 overall and 7-1 in the NEC, breezed through the first two games, 30-20 and 30-15. In those two games, the Blue Devils committed just six attack errors, compared to 16 for the Pioneers.

SHU, 9-19 and 3-5, turned things around in game three, holding on for a 30-28 win. Senior Christine Duffy (Massapequa, NY) and Tiffany Phoenix (Creskill, NJ) led the way, combining for nine kills and just one error.

The Pioneers pushed it to a fifth game with a 30-27 win in game four. Again, it was the senior tandem who led the charge. Duffy has six kills without an error, and Phoenix chipped in with four more kills. Junior Lynne Principio (Ardsley, NY) and sophomore Alex Bavasi (Flagstaff, AZ) played solid defense with six digs each in the frame.

SHU took an 8-6 lead in game five after another Duffy kill, but when the teams changed side the Pioneers seemed to lose their steam. Back-to-back errors, followed by a CCSU kill by Tori Vaughn forced SHU coach Rob Machan to call a timeout with his team suddenly trailing 9-8. After the break, another attack error, followed by a pair of receiving errors, gave the Blue Devils a commanding lead they would carry home for the win.

Duffy finished the game with a team-best 15 kills and nine digs. Freshman Mydori Saipale was also in double figures with 13 kills. Phoenix finished with a season-high nine.

Despite the loss, it was a positive sign for Coach Machan against one of the top two teams in the conference, as they head into the conference tournament next week. SHU will be the #6 seed and face #3 Robert Morris in the first round.