WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (September 21, 2022)  – Senior Ava Smithing joined juniors Liz Patterson, Elle Maggio and Meg Dion in recording a match-high seven kills as the Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team swept King's College (25-20, 25-12, 25-21) Wednesday in a MAC Freedom matchup at Scandlon Gymnasium.

Dion also amassed six blocks on the evening as the Ducks won their second straight to move to 9-4 on the year and to 3-0 in league play. Since joining the MAC Freedom for the 2019 season, the Ducks are 17-1 in conference play.

Joy Kindall had six kills for King's, who dropped to 6-3 on the year and to 0-2 in MAC Freedom play. Stevens' victory snapped the Monarchs' five-match winning streak. The Ducks have won all four meetings between the programs.

The Ducks wasted little time getting on the board, scoring four of the first five points of the match to open a 4-1 lead. Three of the four points in the sequence came on King's errors. For the match, the Ducks nearly held King's to the same number of kills (23) and errors (22).

Maggio set down an overpass to spark a run of five points that broke the set open. In a set in which they never trailed, another run pushed the Ducks' lead to five at 22-17 and kills from first-year Gabbi Roberts and Smithing closed the frame out.

Stevens turned in its most efficient set of the night in the second. The Ducks connected for 13 kills on 30 swings with just three errors (.333) in the frame, which marked the high point for either side. Interestingly enough, in a set Stevens would ultimately win by 13 points, the Ducks scored the last seven points of the frame - four of which came on errors, including an emphatic block from Maggio and Dion - to claim the set. 

The final set was tightly contested, as the teams combined for nine ties and eight lead changes. The Ducks again jumped in front with the first three points of the match, but King's responded with four straight points to take a 5-4 lead. Neither side would create significant separation until a pair of errors surrounded a Roberts ace to push the Ducks' advantage to 22-18. Junior Cleo Shannon set down a Roberts set and classmate Madison Sappia served up an ace to propel the Ducks to match point. Maggio would convert a Roberts feed to close out the victory. The sweep was the Ducks' fourth of the year.

While the Ducks had their best offensive performance in the second set, its serve-receive and defense was on full display in the third. The Ducks forced King's into two more errors (8) than kills (6), while serving up six aces. Stevens also had just one receiving error in 21 opportunities. 

Inside the Numbers

• The Ducks held an 8-3 advantage in total bocks, while also holding an 8-2 edge in aces.
• Sophomore Bailey Axelrad finished with a match-high 17 digs.
• Roberts finished with a career-high 17 assists. Senior Enkhsanaa Enkhbayar added 10.
• Senior Riley Koehler made her season debut in the second set and finished with one assist.
• King's .009 (23-22-110) hitting percentage was the second-lowest by a Stevens opponent this season and marked the lowest total by the Monarchs since Oct. 13, 2018.

Unsung Hero

• Sappia totaled a pair of aces, six digs and seven receptions without an error.

From the Sidelines - Head Coach Brianna Jones

• "What a fun night!! The atmosphere felt like we were just having fun in practice - loose and lighthearted."

Up Next

• Women's volleyball heads to Purchase, New York on Sept. 23 for a non-conference tilt with Manhattanville. 
• The Friday evening contest will be the first meeting between the teams since 2002, which the Ducks won in five sets.
• Links for live stats and video are available on StevensDucks.com.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
#AllRise