Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (September 8, 2012) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team battled with host Vassar College and New York University in a tri-match on Saturday but fell to both opponents in four sets. Senior opposite hitter Maggie Kowalska (Edison, N.J.) paced the Ducks with 29 total kills and 27 digs in the two matches.

Match One: Vassar 3, Stevens 1

In the opening match against Vassar, the Ducks won a marathon second set, 32-30, but dropped the other three, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21. Junior outside hitter Mary Caulson (West Islip, N.Y.) led Stevens with 14 kills in the match to go along with a team-best 20 digs. Kowalska was close behind with 18 digs and 12 kills and added three blocks.

Sophomore middle hitter Katie Hall (Midlothian, Va.) also recorded double-digit kills with 10, while junior setter Samantha Gates (Wilmington, N.C.) handed out a season-high 40 assists and chipped in 14 digs and five kills.

In the match, six different players eclipsed 10-plus digs and the team totaled 100 for the match. Liberos Hannah Gasper (Bourne, Mass.) and Kirsten Salmins (Wyckoff, N.J.) recorded 17 and 13 digs, respectively, while freshman outside hitter Annemarie Thomas (Durham, N.C.) tallied 12 digs and eight kills.

Senior Jillian Barrett (Philadelphia, Pa.) posted five kills and five blocks a piece in the loss.

Match Two: NYU 3, Stevens 1

The Ducks took the opening set, 27-25, but the Violets fought back to win the next three, 25-23, 25-18, 25-17, to secure the victory. Kowalska was the lone Stevens player to tally double-digit kills with 17 and had a team-high nine digs.

Gates added to her already impressive day of distributing the ball with 36 more assists, and picked up six digs and four service aces. Caulson added nine digs and eight kills, while Thomas also posted eight kills to go along with five digs.

Gasper registered nine digs, while freshman setter Catie Shelton (Central Square, N.Y.) added eight digs in the loss.

Stevens will be back on the court at SUNY New Paltz on September 12 for a 7 p.m. start before returning back to Hoboken for its home opening tournament on the 14th and 15th.