Box Score 1 | Box Score 3 Hoboken, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team swept WPI before outlasting Eastern in five sets during a home tri-match Saturday at Canavan Arena.
 
The Ducks (18-9) topped WPI 25-11, 25-17, 25-15, before edging Eastern 25-16, 23-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. WPI)
Stevens raced out to a 7-0 lead against WPI, with Ella Boland recording two kills during the opening run. Kills by Vivian Lisboa and Sarah Bolduc extended the margin to 11, and back-to-back aces from Lisboa made it 17-4. The senior capped off a dominant first set with a solo block, giving Stevens a 1-0 advantage with a 25-11 win.
 
The Engineers jumped out to a 5-2 edge in the second stanza before consecutive aces from Molly Harris put Stevens ahead 8-7. After ties at 9, 10, 11 and 12, the Ducks seized control for good with a 7-0 rally. Alyssa O'Neal started the spurt with a kill and an ace before Bolduc added a kill and O'Neal tacked on another ace. WPI got within five, but Stevens closed the frame on a 4-1 run as Bolduc tallied three kills, including the clincher off a Harris assist.
 
The Ducks continued to roll in the third, opening a 6-1 lead behind two kills apiece from O'Neal and Lisboa. Stevens pushed the gap to double digits with a 6-1 spurt before WPI answered with a 7-1 rally of its own. O'Neal started a match-ending 6-1 run and finished the sweep with a kill off a Harris set. Eva Tarolli and Harris brought up match point with a tandem block.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. Eastern)
Stevens trailed 7-4 early in the opening set before a Bolduc kill and an ace from Lisboa cut the deficit to one. After Eastern stretched its lead to 11-7, the Ducks responded with a 7-0 surge that featured back-to-back blocks from Boland and Tarolli. The Eagles briefly reclaimed momentum, but Lianna Schmieder served four straight points, including an ace, to put Stevens up 19-13. The Ducks closed the set on a 4-0 run—three coming via Eastern errors—to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Back-to-back kills from Boland and Lisboa helped Stevens open a 7-4 lead in set two, but Eastern rallied to tie it at seven. An O'Neal kill capped a 3-0 Ducks run before Bolduc finished a Harris set to make it 19-16. Eastern tied it at 20, and despite late kills from Tarolli and Bolduc, the Eagles closed on a 5-1 run to even the match with a 25-23 win.
 
Eastern doubled up Stevens 6-3 early in the third before Boland's ace capped a four-point burst that gave the Ducks a 7-6 edge. The lead grew to 12-7 behind O'Neal's serve, and though the Eagles pulled within two at 17-15, Stevens held firm. Tarolli's kill brought up set point, and Boland sealed the frame with a kill to put the Ducks ahead 2-1.
 
Eastern led 9-6 in the fourth before Stevens strung together four straight points to go up 10-9. A Bolduc kill made it 15-13, but the Eagles responded with six straight points to regain control. The Ducks battled back with a 5-1 run to make it 23-22—sparked by two O'Neal kills—but Eastern claimed the final two points to force a decisive fifth set.
 
Boland opened the tiebreak with three kills, and Bolduc added one to give Stevens a 7-4 advantage. Eastern tied the set at 10, but consecutive Eagle errors pushed the Ducks back in front 12-10. Eastern again leveled the score at 13, but Lisboa's kill off a Harris set brought up match point, and an Eastern attack error sealed the victory for Stevens.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• O'Neal and Bolduc combined for 27 kills in the win over WPI, with O'Neal tallying 16 and Bolduc hitting .435 (11-1-23).
• Harris dished out 35 assists and added three aces in the WPI match.
• Against the Engineers, Stevens totaled 11 aces to just three errors.
• Lisboa and Tarolli combined for 10 kills without an error, while Lisboa added three blocks.
• O'Neal posted a monster double-double of 19 kills and 25 digs versus Eastern, and Bolduc matched her season high with 17 kills.
• Schmieder notched a career-high 28 digs and three aces.
• Tarolli contributed seven kills and a team-best five blocks.
• Harris handed out 57 assists—three shy of her career high—and recorded 15 digs.
• Boland turned in a double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs, while Ella Kraver added 13 digs.

UP NEXT
Stevens closes out Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom regular-season play Wednesday when it travels to Doylestown, Pennsylvania, to face Delaware Valley at 7 p.m.