Box Score FAIRIFIELD, Conn. – Katie Direnzo led the Sacred Heart volleyball team with nine kills while hitting .500, as the Pioneers with dropped three close sets to Brown on the final day of the 2015 SHU Hampton Inn Shelton Invitational on Saturday at the William H. Pitt Center. SHU finished the tournament at 1-1, moving to 2-3 overall, while the Bears complete the weekend 2-1.
Direnzo was named to the All-Tournament team, finishing with 19 kills over Sacred Heart's two matches while hitting a tournament-high .455. She also added a team-high seven block assists during the two days. Kiki Robinson was also selected to the team after tallying 10.12 assists per set, second best in the field over the weekend. She led Saturday's match with 29, after 52 last night, and also added four killls and 13 digs in SHU's two matches.
The Pioneers tallied just one less kill than the Bears, 43-42, but Brown hit an impressive .378 in the victory, including surpassing the forty percent mark in each of the final two sets. The Bears were led by Sabrina Stillwell, who racked up 12 kills while hitting .529.
SHU continues tournament play next Friday and Saturday at the Art Carmichael Invitational hosted by Rhode Island. In addition a matchup with the host on Saturday, the Pioneers will take on Lehigh and Canisius on Friday.
Set One
Sacred Heart jumped out to two five point leads early, at 8-3 and 13-8, and led all the way until the Bears scored three in a row to take its first lead, 18-17, since scoring the first point of the match. SHU tied it twice from there, but Brown sealed the set with four consecutive points to go ahead 23-19.
Set Two
It was Brown who established the lead in the second, as the Bears led 14-9 following a SHU error. Sarah Krufka got Sacred Heart back in it with two kills and two service aces, the latter of which pulled the Pioneers within one at 15-14. SHU then tied it for the first time since 7-7 when a Brown error made it 17-17. From there, the Bears once again pulled away, scoring the next five points.
Set Three
Sacred Heart scored the first four points, and aside from one tie at eight, was leading up until the Bears took their first lead of the set at 15-14. The Pioneers evened the scored twice after that, at 16 and 17, before Brown repeated what they did in the opening two sets, rallying for the next four points to take control with a 21-17 lead.
