JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team come out on top of a five-set thriller at Saint Peter's on Saturday afternoon in Jersey City, N.J. SHU won the second, third and fifth sets to claim its first win in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play this season.
Leading the way for SHU on offense was the trio of
Lauren Hubert,
Abbie Hagedorn and
Ryleigh Short, as all three had double-doubles. Hubert tallied 18 kills and 14 digs, Hagedorn had 15 kills and 15 digs, and Short recorded 15 kills and 11 digs.
Miliani Villarreal joined the crew with a 22-dig, 11-assist double-double.
Brielle Laferriere finished the match with a career-best 29 assists, while
Ava Roodbol had 11.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 4-13, 1-4 MAAC
Saint Peter's: 5-11, 0-5 MAAC
Top Performers:
Lauren Hubert: 18 kills, 14 digs, 2 blocks
Miliani Villarreal: 22 digs, 11 assists
Cristina Montanez: 8 kills, 7 blocks, .353 hitting%
How It Happened:
The Pioneers bounced back after falling in the first 25-19 to claim the second. SHU dominated the frame, winning 25-13, highlighted by a 9-2 run in the middle. The Pios hit an outstanding .440 in the frame, with 13 kills and just two errors.
The third set was much closer, as the Peacocks held a 10-9 lead after 19 points. SHU stormed 16-11 ahead with a 7-1 surge, but Saint Peter's retook the lead with a 7-1 run of its own a little later. The teams then traded points before the Pios scored two straight with the match tied at 26-all to clinch a 28-26 win.
SPU took a hard-fought third set, 26-24, sending the match to a deciding fifth.
The Pios were ready for the pressure in the fifth, storming out to a 6-2 lead. After trading the next few points, SHU was on the cusp of a win with a 3-0 run giving it match point. Three straight Peacock points made things interesting, by Hagedorn slammed the door shut with a spike to seal the Pioneers' first MAAC win of the season.
Up Next:
The Pioneers return the William H. Pitt Center for their next match, a 7 p.m. league tilt against Siena.
