Waltham, Mass. – Sophomores
Julianne Danis and
Alyssa O'Neal combined for 27 kills and 21 digs, but the Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team was edged 3-2 by No. 10 Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday evening.
The Ducks (0-1) fell 18-25, 25-17, 25-15, 23-25, 15-8 in their season-opening contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Engineers jumped out to a 7-3 advantage in the opening set before Stevens began to chip away. Back-to-back kills from Danis and consecutive service aces from
Cadence Sturt helped the Ducks pull even at eight. The teams continued to trade points before Stevens broke a 12-12 tie with five straight points.
Ella Boland contributed three kills during the run as the Ducks moved ahead 17-12. Stevens maintained control from there, with Danis recording kills at 18-13 and 24-18 before
Kileen McNeill finished the set with a solo block for the 25-18 victory. Stevens hit .393 in the opening frame with 13 kills against just two errors.
MIT answered in the second set, using an early run to build a 12-5 advantage. An
Alexa Brucculeri service ace and Danis kill helped Stevens cut into the deficit, but the Engineers maintained control and pulled away for a 25-17 victory to even the match. The Ducks were able to get as close as six late in the period, but MIT registered three of the final four points to draw even.
The Engineers carried the momentum into the third and opened up a 10-3 lead. Stevens attempted to work its way back behind kills from Boland, O'Neal and Danis, but MIT extended its advantage to double digits late in the set. The Engineers took the frame 25-15 to move within one set of the match.
Facing a 2-1 deficit, Stevens responded with its best offensive set since the opener. After MIT scored the first point, kills from Boland, Danis and
Eva Tarolli, combined with a Boland service ace, gave the Ducks a 4-1 advantage. The Engineers eventually pulled even at four, but Stevens regained control and led 12-9 following a block from McNeill and O'Neal. The teams remained close throughout the remainder of the frame, but Stevens made it 19-16 on a Boland kill. After the Engineers closed within one at 20-19, the two sides traded the final nine points, with Stevens pulling out the fourth frame after Danis put down a Brucculeri set to force the deciding set.
MIT scored the first two points of the deciding set before Stevens got on the board. The Engineers extended their advantage to 4-1, but kills from Tarolli and O'Neal helped the Ducks stay within striking distance at 5-4. MIT grabbed control of the stanza with a 9-3 spurt, doubling up the score at 14-7. McNeill helped Stevens fend off one match point, but a kill from MIT gave the Engineers the victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Danis, who registered six kills over seven matches in her first year, notched her first career double-double with a career-high 15 kills and 10 digs.
O'Neal put down 12 kills and added 11 digs, with Boland contributing 10 kills.
Brucculeri dished out 38 assists and added 13 digs from her setter position.
McNeill hit .308 (7-3-13) while adding four blocks, including one solo block.
Playing in her first collegiate match, Sturt had a team-high 18 digs as the Ducks collected 65 on the night.
UP NEXT
The Ducks close out the Brandeis Invitational on Saturday, battling the host Judges at 11 a.m. before taking on Wellesley College at 1 p.m.
