Photo courtesy of Eric Tirrell
BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Trailing 2-1 in sets, the University of New England led from start-to-finish in both the 4th and 5th frames to notch a 3-2 women's volleyball victory over Saint Joseph's College (Maine) on Tuesday evening (Sep. 13) at the Harold Alfond Forum. Set scores were 23-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-16, and 15-8.
For the Nor'easters (4-4), Rene Roggenbuck totaled 22.5 points to lead the way to the win. She dialed up 13 kills with a .522 hitting percentage, and added six aces while sharing in seven blocks. Erika Sawicki posted a match-high 15 kills and Grayson Szczepaniak contributed 11.
Bekah Mather and Katie Flynn each went for 10 winners on the UNE side, with Mather teaming up for five blocks and Flynn scooping 14 digs. Kristen Falcinelli had 41 assists and a team-best 16 digs, to go with five aces. Brittany Morrison finished with 13 digs.
The Monks (1-2) received 12 kills and 12 digs out of Shadai Gosselin, and 10 kills (.429 attacking) with part of four blocks from Jordynne Copp. Both dropped in a trio of aces. Sarah Dyer paced the offense with 29 assists.
Defensively for SJC, Jennelle Thompson accumulated 26 digs to lead all players, while getting the support of 13 and 11 more from Bailey Gryskwicz and Victoria Huntley, respectively.
With its back up against the wall, Big Blue jumped out to a 6-1 cushion in the 4th. Though the margin was cut to 12-10, the Nor'easters eventually pulled away to even the match, closing the session with an 8-2 run that featured three kills from Roggenbuck and two more by Sawicki.
The deciding set saw UNE take a 5-1 advantage and SJC get back within two (9-7), before Roggenbuck guided a 6-1 sprint the end with a kill and two aces.
Back at the start, the initial period was back and forth until three straight points gave the visitors a 21-19 edge -- one that held up at the close of the set.
In the 2nd, Roggenbuck served as the Nor'easters rattled off eight straight to go up 15-6. The Monks returned an 11-4 spurt to reduce the gap (19-17), as Gosselin put down all four of her kills in the stanza. However, Sawicki and Roggenbuck registered two more winners apiece to wrap up the frame.
UNE needed a 9-3 run to get within one (20-19) of Saint Joseph's in the 3rd, but errors proved costly down the stretch as the Monks shifted back atop the scoreboard.
Big Blue hits the road to face Regis (Mass.) on Thursday (6 p.m.). SJC is slated to entertain UMaine Presque Isle, UMaine Fort Kent, and Husson in its own invitational this weekend.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
