SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (November 14, 2008) – The 25th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team had its hopes of reaching the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third-consecutive year ripped away as the Ducks fell to SUNY Fredonia in the semifinals of the NCAA New York Regional Championship Friday night in Schenectady, N.Y. Senior outside hitter Melanie Volk had a season-high 20 kills as she added 17 digs and a block assist. With tonight's loss, the Ducks had their 24-match win-streak broken as they finished the 2008 season with an overall mark of 33-5.
Fredonia 29-27
Set 1 started off as points were exchanged to bring the overall tally to 7-7. During the stretch, junior outside hitter Laura Johnson landed an ace. Down 9-11 the Ducks received a big kill from senior right-side hitter Melissa Rhode. Stevens tied the set at 11-all off a Johnson kill having ended a long volley. Rhode followed with an ace as Fredonia called timeout. Following the stoppage of play, Rhode led the team to a 4-0 run with some tough serving (17-11). Fredonia went on an 8-2 run to knot the set at 19-all. Stevens regained the lead to go ahead 23-20 on a pair of Blue Devil miscues. The Ducks had a hard time of finishing the set off as they allowed Fredonia to creep back in and tie the game at 23-all. As teams traded points past the 25 mark, the Blue Devils edged out the first set over the Ducks 29-27.
Stevens 25-23
Tied at 8-all, the Ducks went on a 10-7 run behind the offensive might of sophomore outside hitter Sarah Byrne and Volk. Sophomore libero Julia Reilly was all over the court, digging the ball to help put Stevens in a favorable attacking position. Following a Fredonia timeout (18-15), each team traded a pair of points to bring the set to 20-17 in favor of the Ducks. With Reilly at the line serving, the Blue Devils came out of firing as they defended the serve, laid down a kill and regained serving possession. Ahead 23-20, Stevens sent sophomore setter Sara Budar to the serving stripe. A missed block by the Ducks allowed Fredonia to counter with an offensive play of their own. Following a Stevens timeout, Rhode and senior middle blocker Jessica Gardner closed out the set with a kill apiece to knot the match at 1-1.
Stevens 25-21
Tied at 14-all in the third set, the Ducks went on a 10-7 run. Stevens knotted the contest at 18-18 off a kill by sophomore right-side hitter Maggie Majcher after a very long volley that saw each team chasing down balls outside of the playing court. Since the start of the set, there were over 10 lead changes as both team's battled back and forth for points and the all important Game 3 to go ahead 2-1. Ahead 24-21, an attack error by the Blue Devils allowed Stevens to take the set and head into the fourth game ahead 2-1.
Fredonia 25-20
Stevens jumped ahead early in Set 4, however Fredonia battled back to knot it at 6-all. The Blue Devils took their first lead of the set (9-8) off a service ace from Erdmann. Feeling the pressure, Fredonia fought back to post a 4-0 run to go ahead of the Ducks 14-13 as Stevens burned its first timeout. Down 14-16, a huge block by Volk gave Stevens a point and service possession. The Blue Devils registered a 4-0 run as it received a pair of kills to allow them to grab a 21-17 advantage. Following a timeout by Stevens, Fredonia tacked on three more unanswered points on a kill and service ace to go ahead 24-18. The Ducks posted a valiant effort in trying to stir up a comeback; however a Fredonia kill allowed the Blue Devils to come away with the set and force a deciding Game 5.
Fredonia 15-6
Set five was knotted at 2-2 before the Blue Devils went on a 3-0 run for a 5-2 lead. Up 8-5 at the switch, the Blue Devils scored three straight for a six point advantage at 11-5, and then a kill by Volk made it 11-6. A pair of Blue Devil kills were followed by setting and attack errors that produced four straight Fredonia points for the match victory.
Byrne had 13 kills, eight digs and a pair of block assists. Majcher finished with six kills, seven assists and three blocks. Rhode landed eight kills, dished out 26 assists, posted four aces and lifted a team-high 31 digs. Reilly totaled 19 digs in the five-set match, while Gardner led in blocks with five.
