NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team bested the Merrimack Warriors in four sets on Saturday to improve to 4-0 in Northeast Conference play this season.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 5-10, 4-0 NEC
Merrimack: 3-12, 2-2 NEC
Top Performers:
Gaby Zovko: 35 assists, 7 digs, 5 kills, 4 aces, 3 blocks
Dominique Felix: 16 kills, 10 digs
Hunter Coppola: 6 kills, 13 digs
Jasmine Rogers: 19 digs
How It Happened:
The Pios started the first set ahead 4-1, but the Warriors drew the margin back to tie the score at 6-all. SHU found itself leading again through 18 points, taking an 11-7 advantage following a 5-1 run. Merrimack then began to chip away at the Pios' lead, wrestling away the lead and earning set point, 25-24, late in the frame. However, Sacred Heart was not deterred, as it ended the first with a 3-0 run to take a 27-25 win.
The Warriors took the lead to start the second set, going up by five,10-5, through 15 points. SHU battled back with a 5-0 surge to tie the frame at 14-14. Unfortunately for the Pioneers, a 3-0 run by Merrimack gave the home team a lead that it did not relinquish, taking the frame 25-22.
Merrimack again started quickly in the third set, but SHU had an immediate answer by tying the score at 5-5 through 10 points. The Pioneers began to take momentum over the following 13 points, going up by five, 14-9. Sacred Heart held on to its advantage, growing it to as much as six, 19-13, before winning the set 25-21.
The Pios hit the ground running in the fourth, taking six of the first seven points. The Warriors answered with a pair of extended runs to take a 13-12 lead at the 25-point mark. Merrimack's advantage lasted just one point, as the Pioneers immediately built a 21-16 lead with a 9-3 surge. SHU's five-point spread was more than enough for the Pios to clinch a four-set win with a 25-18 victory.
Dominique Felix led the way for SHU with a career-best 16 kills to go along with 10 digs for her second double-double of the season. After tonight's performance, Felix crossed the 500-career-dig plateau and is nine kills short of the 500-kill mark.
Gaby Zovko once again made an impact all over the court, finishing the match with 35 assists, seven digs, five kills, four aces and three blocks.
Hunter Coppola posted her busiest match as a Pio with a season-high 13 digs and six kills.
Up Next:
The Pioneers will have a week-long break before returning to the court, as they will next welcome cross-state foe Central Connecticut State University to the Pitt Center on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m.
