CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team was step for step with defending NIVC Champion Boston College but fell to the Eagles in three sets to conclude the BC Invitational on Sunday afternoon. 
 
Records:
Sacred Heart: 0-2
Boston College: 2-0
 
Top Performers:
Gaby Zovko: 18 assists, 11 digs
Kate Anderson: 8 kills, 2 blocks, .500 hitting percentage
Cristina Montanez: 6 kills, 3 blocks, .333 hitting percentage
Jasmine Rogers: 15 digs
 
How It Happened:
The opening set belonged to the home team, as Boston College opened the match with a 25-14 win in the first. SHU came out of the gates firing, taking a 4-1 advantage over the first five points. The Eagles answered with a 14-2 run to build a 15-6 lead. The Pios responded with a 4-0 push to draw the deficit to five, 15-10, but BC scored 10 of the final 14 points to secure the opening frame. 

The second set started with both teams trading points until the Pioneers went on a 4-0 run to go ahead 10-6. Boston College then began to steal some momentum, tying the score at 17-all over the following 18 points. SHU pulled ahead again, 20-18, until another Eagles' flourish put them up 21-20. After multiple attack errors by both teams, a powerful Kate Anderson spike knotted the score at 23-23. Unfortunately for the Pios, back-to-back close plays went to the Eagles, as the home team won the second 25-23. 

Sacred Heart did not go down without a fight this afternoon, as it started the third set by going ahead 6-3 early on. Sloane Rooney capped the early run with an ace, while Lauren Harrell tallied a pair of kills in the stretch. The Pioneers added to their lead with a 7-1 push a little later to take a 15-8 lead into a media timeout. Eliana Rodgers had a pair of kills over the run. 

However, BC did not make things easy on their home court, as a 9-3 Eagles run drew the SHU lead to one, 18-17. From there, the two teams started to trade points until the score was tied at 22. With the set on the line, Boston College answered by scoring the final three points to secure a straight-set victory. 

Gaby Zovko followed her stellar SHU debut yesterday by recording her first collegiate double-double with 18 assists and 11 digs. The Pios also got strong production from their middles, as Anderson tallied a team-high eight kills and two blocks while hitting at a .500 clip. Cristina Montanez also had a stellar outing with six kills and three blocks while hitting .333. Emily Sawyer, a 6-5 first year middle hitter, made her collegiate debut in the third set this afternoon. 

Up Next:
The Pioneers will kick off the home portion of their schedule on Thursday, Aug. 31, when they welcome crosstown rival Fairfield for a 7 p.m. match at the Pitt Center. The Thursday bout will begin the Sacred Heart/Fairfield Invitational.