Hoboken, N.J. –
Julianne Danis recorded a match-high 17 kills as the Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team rallied past Springfield College 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The Ducks (9-1) dropped the opening set 26-24 before responding with victories of 25-16, 27-25 and 25-18 to hand Springfield (8-1) its first loss of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stevens jumped out to an early advantage in the opening set before Springfield used a run to move ahead 12-9. The Ducks later trailed 17-13 before mounting a comeback behind
Alexa Brucculeri and
Cadence Sturt. Brucculeri recorded consecutive kills before Sturt delivered back-to-back service aces and Danis followed with a kill to put Stevens ahead 19-17. The teams traded points down the stretch before Springfield moved in front 24-22. An
Ella Boland kill and a Springfield attack error pulled the Ducks even at 24, but Springfield answered with the final two points to take the opening frame 26-24.
The Ducks responded in the second set, using a balanced attack to take control. Stevens broke an 8-8 tie with five of the next six points, highlighted by three kills from
Alyssa O'Neal, to build a 13-10 advantage. The lead grew to 16-11 before Brucculeri, Boland and Danis helped Stevens extend the margin to 20-13. The Ducks continued to pull away down the stretch, with
Kileen McNeill combining with O'Neal and Boland on blocks before Sturt delivered an ace to bring up set point. Danis finished the frame with a kill for the 25-16 victory, evening the match at one set apiece.
The third set went back-and-forth before Springfield opened a 17-15 advantage. Stevens answered behind its attack, with O'Neal recording a kill before Danis put away three consecutive kills to give the Ducks a 20-18 lead. Springfield eventually pulled even at 23, but McNeill answered with a kill to give Stevens set point. The teams traded the next three points before a Springfield service error put the Ducks ahead 26-25. Boland followed with a service ace to seal the 27-25 victory and give Stevens a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Stevens carried the momentum into the fourth, turning a 7-6 edge into a commanding 14-6 advantage with seven consecutive points. McNeill and O'Neal each contributed kills during the run, while Boland and McNeill teamed up for a block. The Ducks continued to pull away, with Boland,
Eva Tarolli and O'Neal helping stretch the advantage to 20-10. Springfield trimmed the deficit late, but McNeill and Boland delivered kills to move Stevens to match point at 24-17. After Springfield extended the contest by one point, Boland put away the final kill to secure the 25-18 set victory and the 3-1 match triumph.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Stevens finished with a .240 hitting percentage while holding Springfield to .138 and posted a 12-5 advantage in total blocks.
- Danis paced the attack with 17 kills while adding 10 digs, while Boland and O'Neal added 12 kills apiece.
- Boland hit .407 with just one error on 27 attempts and added six blocks.
- McNeill totaled eight blocks to go along with six kills, while Brucculeri handed out 38 assists and collected 14 digs.
- Sturt led the defensive effort with 20 digs and added four service aces.
UP NEXT
The Ducks resume Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom action on Wednesday, heading to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to face King's at 7 p.m.
