BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team stormed to a four-set win over NJIT to cap a split day at the Steel Classic Tournament on Saturday. The Pios fell in three sets against Valparaiso to open the day.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 2-7
Valparaiso: 6-3
NJIT: 3-7
Match One: Valpo 3, SHU 0
Top Performers:
Miliani Villarreal: 13 digs
Ryleigh Short: 12 kills, 5 digs
Ava Roodbol: 27 assists, 3 digs
How It Happened:
The Beacons controlled the action in the opening match today, as they secured a sweep, 25-20, 25-14, 25-17. SHU held an 11-8 advantage in the first set before a 7-1 Valpo run gave the Beacons the momentum they needed to take the frame. Sacred Heart led again in the third set, 6-5, before another extended Valpo surge, 10-3, gave them enough of a lead to secure the win.
Ryleigh Short and
Abbie Hagedorn led the way for the Pios with 12 and nine kills, respectively.
Ava Roodbol finished the opener with 27 assists on SHU's 34 kills.
Match Two: SHU 3, NJIT 1
Top Performers:
Ryleigh Short: 16 kills, 10 digs
Miliani Villarreal: 19 digs
Ava Roodbol: 45 assists, 6 digs, 5 kills
How It Happened:
SHU started the second match today strong, going ahead 12-6 after 18 points. NJIT quickly swung the lead back in its favor before a 4-0 Pios' run late made it 22-19 Sacred Heart. Unfortunately for SHU, a 6-2 Highlanders run gave them a 25-24 lead. After trading the next three points, NJIT secured a 28-26 win with two straight.
Following a close start to the second set, the Pioneers built a 16-12 advantage with a 6-2 surge. SHU maintained the lead from there, icing the set win with another 6-2 run to make it 25-18.
With the two teams trading runs at the start of the fourth, SHU and NJIT sat tied at 18-18. The Highlanders scored the next point to make it 19-18 before Sacred Heart secured seven of the next eight to cruise to a 25-20 victory.
Up 2-1, the Pioneers left no question in the fourth. SHU stormed out to a 12-4 lead after 16 points. The Pios' advantage then fluctuated before five straight points secured Sacred Heart its second win of the season. Hagedorn tallied two of the five points on kills, while Short ended the contest with her match-high 16th kill.
Short tallied a well-rounded day against the Highlanders, finishing with 16 kills and 10 digs for her fourth double-double. Hagedorn finished the second bout with 15 kills and eight digs, as she earned a spot on the Steel Classic All-Tournament Team. The first year averaged 3.09 kills and 1.45 digs in the three bouts.
Roodbol assisted on 45 of the team's 65 kills, adding a career-high five kills for good measure.
Miliani Villarreal also set a career-high with five aces to go along with a match-high 19 digs. After making her collegiate debut against Valpo, sophomore
Brielle Laferriere tallied three assists, three digs and two aces against NJIT.
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the road on Wednesday for a short trip to New Britain, Conn., to play Central Connecticut State at 6 p.m.
