Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
NEW YORK, N.Y. (August 31, 2012) – In the 2012 season opener for the Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team at New York University's Labor Day Invitational on Friday afternoon, August 31, Stevens was dealt two losses by SUNY Geneseo and University of Wisconsin-Platteville. The Ducks dropped the opening match to Geneseo, 3-2, and were turned away by UW-Platteville, 3-0, in the first two matches of the year.

Match One: SUNY Geneseo 3, Stevens 2

In the five-set season opening set back to the Knights, 25-17, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 15-10, three different Ducks tallied double digit kills. Senior opposite hitter Maggie Kowalska (Edison, N.J.) paced all players in the match with 16 kills, while fellow senior middle hitter Jillian Barrett (Philadelphia, Pa.) and sophomore middle hitter Katie Hall (Midlothian, Va.) each recorded 11.

Hall led all Ducks players with a .348 hitting percentage on 23 attempts. Barrett was the top defender at the net with five total blocks, while Kowalska added six digs, three service aces and two total blocks.

Junior setter Samantha Gates (Wilmington, N.C.) dished out a team-best 36 assists and posted a team-high 14 digs. Gates also chipped in four kills and three aces in the setback.

Also in on the action in the first match were juniors Mary Caulson (West Islip, N.Y.) and Hannah Gasper (Bourne, Mass.). Caulson registered nine digs and five kills, while Gasper picked up 10 digs and three aces.

Freshman outside hitter Annemarie Thomas (Durham, N.C.) started off her collegiate career with six kills and four digs.

Match Two: University of Wisconsin-Platteville 3, Stevens 0

UW-Platteville took the Ducks down in straight sets, 25-17, 25-22, 25-13, in the second match of the day for Stevens. The Ducks struggled offensively, hitting only .094 as a team (28 kills, 19 errors, 96 attempts).

Kowalska once again led Stevens with 13 kills to go along with five blocks, while Gates handed out 19 assists and picked up three more aces.

Hall added six kills in the loss and hit at a .294 clip. Caulson was tops on the team with seven digs, while Gasper picked up five more, and sophomore libero Kirsten Salmins (Wyckoff, N.J.) chipped in with six digs.

Complete box score from UW-Platteville is not currently available.

Stevens is back on the court at NYU tomorrow for two more matches against Salisbury University and SUNY New Paltz. The Ducks take on Salisbury at noon and then wrap up the weekend against New Paltz at 2 p.m.

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