BOSTON – The Mount Ida College women's volleyball team was beaten 3-1 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match on Wednesday night inside Regan Gymnasium, as Suffolk University won their third consecutive match.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Mt. Ida 1 (25-23, 25-22, 27-29, 25-21)
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-6, 1-1 GNAC) | Mt. Ida (6-8, 0-2 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk came from behind to take a 2-0 match lead, but Mount Ida rallied a marathon third frame to force a fourth set. Determined to lock up their first conference win of the season, Suffolk broke a 3-3 tie and held onto the lead down the stretch to secure the win, 25-21.
Mary Kate Reidy (Agawam, Mass.) had a double-double day for the Mustangs. The outside hitter led the way with a 20-dig, 15-kill effort.
Alexis Bell (Salem, Conn.) also had a double-double with 12 digs and 25 assists, while Kristy Walton (Fairhaven, Mass.) added 18 digs and Molly Alkinburg (Port Deposit, Md.) had six kills.
Meghan Martowski (Ludlow, Mass.) matched a career high with four kills and was in on two blocks for the Mustangs.
Chidera Nwankwo's season-high 10 kills paced a Suffolk offense that saw seven of its nine players score a kill. Talia Lombardo contributed seven kills to go along with 19 handouts, 11 digs and three aces. Jessica Rexrode and Bridget Allison, who also served three aces, chipped in five kills apiece. Rexrode chipped in 13 digs and one block defensively, while Allison registered 10 digs and four blocks.
SET ONE RECAP (25-23, SUFFOLK)
· The set leveled early at 3-3.
· Mount Ida jumped ahead 18-11 to force a Suffolk timeout.
· Out of the break, a solo block from Allison jump started a 5-0 Rams' stretch, which led to a Mustangs timeout.
· Suffolk took the lead on a Nwankwo kill, 19-18.
· Mount Ida reclaimed the advantage, 21-19.
· Nwankwo put up a block to even the score at 23-all.
· Back-to-back points – a Lombardo kill and Heidy Barriero ace – gave Suffolk the 25-23 set.
SET TWO RECAP (25-22, SUFFOLK)
· Suffolk scored the first four points of the frame.
· The Mustangs rebounded with four straight points of their own to move the score to 4-4, then leapt ahead 10-6.
· Suffolk tied the score at 12-12.
· The score would tie twice more, before Mount Ida regained a 20-16 advantage.
· Rexrode strung together back-to-back aces to make it a tied-set at 20-20.
· The Rams went ahead for the first time since opening the frame on a Barreiro ace, 22-21 and Suffolk did not look back, taking the set, 25-22, to gain a 2-0 match lead.
SET THREE RECAP (29-27, MOUNT IDA)
· Suffolk played from behind once again as Mount Ida led early, 8-4.
· An ace from Emma Feeney evened the score at 11-11.
· The Rams gained a 16-14 advantage.
· The score tied for the first time at 20-20.
· With match point, the score tied four times, before the Mustangs coupled back-to-back points to earn the set, 29-27, and force a fourth frame.
SET FOUR (25-21, SUFFOLK)
· After a 3-3 opening, Suffolk broke open the scoring and gained a 10-7 advantage.
· The score remained close, however, with the Mustangs within one point at 12-11 and 18-17.
· A solo block from Allison pushed the Rams' lead to 21-18.
· The Mustangs pulled within two, 23-21, down the stretch, but Suffolk held off the visitors for the 25-21 set and match victory.
NEXT UP
Mount Ida heads to West Hartford, Conn. this weekend for a tri-match against Saint Joseph, a GNAC foe, and non-league opponent Bard College.
Suffolk takes the weekend off before a four-match week starting off Monday, Oct. 3 inside Regan Gymnasium versus Eastern Nazarene.