POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (October 30, 2009) – Junior libero Julia Reilly collected 57 digs in two matches to move to second all-time on the program's career digs chart, but the Stevens Institute of Technology dropped a pair of hard-fought, 3-2, losses to SUNY Fredonia and the University of Rochester to open play at the Vassar College Tournament in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The Ducks dropped their first match of the day to the Blue Devils, 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-10), before falling to the Yellowjackets, 3-2 (33-31, 16-25, 27-25, 15-25, 15-10).
The Oradell, N.J. native surpassed former Duck Dawn Herring ('07) for third-place on the career digs list with her seventh dig against SUNY Fredonia before passing Melanie Volk ('08) with her 21st dig of the match.
Junior Sarah Byrne finished with 40 kills and 24 digs, while freshman Maggie Kowalska totaled 26 kills and nine blocks in the Ducks' pair of matches. Senior newcomer Brittany Fuller finished with 24 kills and seven blocks, junior setter Sara Budar tallied 98 assists on the day.
Stevens wraps up play at the Vassar College Tournament on Saturday, October 31 against Sage Colleges and host Vassar.
SUNY Fredonia 3, Stevens 2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-10)
SUNY Fredonia, which eliminated Stevens in the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament, snapped Stevens' eight-match win-streak, downing the Ducks, 3-2, to open play at the Vassar Tournament. With the score knotted at a set apiece, the Blue Devils took the third set, 25-22, to take a 2-1 advantage. The Ducks fought back, forcing a fifth set following a 25-20 victory in the fourth set, but would eventually fall, 15-10.
Byrne finished with a team-high 19 kills and 10 digs, while Kowalska added 13 kills and five blocks. Fuller totaled 11 kills and three blocks, while junior Maggie Majcher had a team-high 23 digs. Budar tallied 47 assists in the loss, while Reilly had 22 digs.
Sophomore middle blocker Chelsea Senn (Hamburg, N.Y.) led the Blue Devils offensively, with 11 kills, while fellow sophomore Brittany Lis (Lancaster, N.Y.) had 36 assists. Sophomore Sarah Zureck (Lancaster, N.Y.) finished with a team-high 28 digs in the win.
Rochester 3, Stevens 2 (33-31, 16-25, 27-25, 15-25, 15-10)
After dropping a marathon first set, 33-31, the Ducks rebounded for a 25-16 win in the second set to even the score at 1-1. The Yellowjackets would take a 2-1 advantage following a 27-25 victory in the pivotal third set before dropping the fourth set, 25-15. Rochester closed out Stevens in the fifth and final set, 15-10.
Byrne led Stevens with 21 kills and 14 digs, while Kowalska, Majcher, and Fuller each added 13 kills. Kowalska and Fuller also added four blocks a piece, with Budar adding 51 assists. Reilly had a team-high 34 digs in the loss.
Middle blocker Alma Guevara (Van Nuys, Calif.) led the Yellowjackets with 27 kills and 22 digs, while outside hitter Kelly Mulrey (Cincinnati, Ohio) added 17 kills. Rochester libero Lauren Bujnicki (Buffalo, N.Y.) had 27 digs in the win.
