HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 2, 2009) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team recorded its fifth consecutive sweep with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-20) win over Montclair State University in the opening match of the 2009 Ducks Invitational at Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. Junior libero Julia Reilly, who tallied a match-high 20 digs, moved into fifth-place on the program's career digs chart with her eighth dig of the evening.
The Ducks will continue play at the Ducks Invitational on Saturday, October 3, at 10 a.m. against the City College of New York Beavers. Also squaring off at 10 a.m. are SUNY New Paltz and Montclair State University. Stevens will take on SUNY New Paltz in the afternoon session beginning at 1 p.m., while the Red Hawks face the Beavers.
Stevens 3, Montclair State 0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-20)
Stevens roared out to an early lead in the first set, earning a 6-0 advantage before three straight Red Hawk points sliced the Montclair State deficit to three. A kill by Maggie Kowalska would make the score 11-4 but another MSU run would pare the lead down to 13-9. With the score, 15-12, junior outside Maggie Majcher would tally another Ducks' kill that would spark a 9-4 Stevens run to close out the first set, capped off by a Brittany Fuller kill.
The second set would begin in much the same way as the first with Stevens taking an early 7-0 lead, but a kill by Montclair State senior middle blocker Kara Burnham (Moorestown, N.J.) would quell the Ducks' hot-streak, while sparking a 6-1 Red Hawk rally that pared the Stevens advantage to two. With the Ducks holding on to an 15-10 lead, junior outside hitter Sarah Byrne would notch a kill, sparking Stevens' own 6-1 run that gave the Ducks a 21-11 advantage which they would not relinquish.
Hoping to extend the match, Montclair State would take a 12-11 lead to start the third and final set, but a quick 4-0 run by the Ducks would put Stevens back on top. Clinging to a 19-18 edge, junior Sara Budar would tally a kill that sparked a 6-2 Stevens run down the stretch that was capped off by a Kowalska kill, sealing Stevens' fifth-consecutive victory.
Kowalska paced the Ducks' attack with a match-high 12 kills, while Byrne totaled 11 kills and eight digs in the win. Budar collected 36 assists while directing the Stevens offense, while Reilly and freshman Michelle Plotzker finished with a match-high 20 digs and three blocks, respectively.
Burnham and seniors outside hitters Kara Martin (Sicklerville, N.J.) and Samatha Karpinski (Hackensack, N.J.) each finished with five kills to lead the Red Hawks, while senior libero Meghan Stevens (Woodcliffe Lake, N.J.) chipped in with a team-high 14 digs. Sophomore Michelle Del Valle (Teaneck, N.J.) finished with 16 assists.
SUNY New Paltz 3, CCNY 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-18)
SUNY New Paltz earned its 14th win of the season with a 3-0 victory over the City College of New York at the 2009 Ducks Invitational. Sophomore outside hitter Melinda DiGiovanna (West Hempstead, N.Y.) paced the Hawks with 10 kills and 11 digs, while senior middle hitter Brittany Coyle (Middletown, N.Y.) added nine kills and eight blocks. Senior setter Stephanie Bova (Central Square, N.Y.) added 33 assists in the win, while sophomore libero Loren Crabbe (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) finished with a team-high 15 digs.
Senior outside hitter Floriana Garo (Albania) led the Beavers with 13 kills and 12 digs, while freshman outside hitter Dalliana Toussaint (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added eight kills and nine digs. Junior Karina Castro (Brentwood, N.Y.) collected a team-high 17 digs in the loss.
