ST. DAVID'S, Pa. (Oct. 30, 2021) – In what was the final regular season contest of the year featuring two teams who both received votes in the latest AVCA poll, the Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team earned a 3-1 (28-26, 25-15, 20-25, 25-16) victory over Eastern University on the road Saturday at the Gymnasium at St. David's.
The Ducks were led by 15 kills from sophomore
Liz Patterson and 13 more by first-year
Parker Adkins as they improve to 24-5 this season while Eastern dropped to 22-5 overall.
With the win, Stevens has now won six matches against opponents featured in the latest NCAA Regional Rankings and have matched the most regular season victories in a single season since 2017.
Sophomore
Madison Sappia was also fantastic for the Ducks in her return to the court, putting down a team-high four service aces while adding six digs in the win.
Stevens, who came into the contest ranked sixth in all of NCAA Division III in total aces, added 11 more aces in the match. The Ducks have now reached double figures in aces in 16 of their 29 matches this season.
First-year Logan Martin led the way for the Eagles with 19 kills in the match with a .240 attack percentage. Martin is now up to 367 kills this season to rank inside the top-15 in DIII in total kills.
Patterson and Adkins were extremely efficient in the match, combining for just five total errors as Patterson hit .379 and Adkins finished with a .387 attack percentage.
As a team, Stevens hit .256 while holding the Eagles to just .158. It is the 27th time in 29 matches this season that the Ducks have held their opponent under a .200 attack percentage.
Inside the Numbers
- As she has all season, Elizabeth Chu led the Ducks defensive backend with 25 digs to go along with three assists and two aces. The 2019 MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Year, Chu has produced double-digit digs in 25 straight matches this season.
- Eastern held a narrow 50-48 edge in kills as well as a 45-42 advantage in assists and a 57-54 edge in digs in the loss.
- Stevens, meanwhile, had the advantage in aces (11-8) and blocks (9-7).
- Kathleen Riegner and Enkhsanaa Enkhbayar split the setting duties, combining for 36 assists in the match.
- Riegner now sits at 1,963 career assists and needs just 37 to become just the sixth student-athlete in program history to reach 2,000 assists in a career.
- The second set, which the Ducks won 25-15, saw a pair of extremely efficient offenses as Stevens hit .483 while Eastern hit .375.
- The nine blocks match the fourth-most blocks the Ducks have had in a match this season.
- After losing six consecutive matches against the Eagles from 2008-2017, Stevens has now defeated the Eagles four straight times including three times in the last three years.
- The win improves the Ducks record on the road to 8-3 this season and hands Eastern just its second home loss of the year.
Unsung Heros
- Both middles were solid for the Ducks in the win as Megan Dion and Ava Smithing combined for nine kills on 24 swings for a .375 attack percentage as well as eight total blocks.
From the Sidelines (Head Coach Brianna Jones)
- "It was so much fun watching our team go out and finish the regular season with a W. Now time to turn our attention to the conference tournament and winning a title."
Next Up
- The MAC Freedom Tournament gets going Wednesday as the Ducks take on #3 Misericordia University at 7:00 p.m. inside Canavan Arena in the semifinals.
- The winner of Wednesday night's matchup will advance to the conference championship matchup as the Ducks look to win their second straight title.
- Stevens took down the Cougars in straight sets in the contest between the two teams on Sept. 14 earlier this season and holds a 4-0 record all-time against Misericordia.
- Live stats and video available on StevensDucks.com.
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