SAINTS OPEN 2015 CAMPAIGN WITH 3-0 WIN OVER BSU

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Freshman outside hitter Angelica Czercowy (Hebron, Conn.) burst onto the collegiate scene with a team-high 10 kills to lift the Emmanuel College women's volleyball team over Bridgewater State University, 3-0 (25-15, 35-33, 28-26), Friday evening at Blake Arena on the Springfield College campus. The Saints start off the year with a 1-0 slate while the Bears drop to 0-2.

Emmanuel opened set one in dominant form, racing ahead to a 7-1 lead after a kill by junior setter Sarah Schemerhorn (Los Angeles, Calif.) Back to back kills by junior outside hitter Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) bumped the lead to 12-3. Bridgewater state made a set out of it, battling back to pull within two points at a 17-15 score after three Emmanuel errors and a kill by sophomore outside hitter Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I.). The Saints regrouped and closed out the frame on fire, scoring eight straight points to pull off the 25-15 win. They posted a .455 team hitting percentage in the set compared to the Bears swinging at a .000 clip.

Set two was a thriller that needed extra points before EC collected the 35-33 win. The Bears had the first chance to take the frame, leading 24-20 before Emmanuel rattled off four straight points including a Czercowy kill to even the score at 24-all. From there on, it was a chess match that saw each team with chances to take the set.  BSU held four set point chances while the Saints held six in the set. In the end it was an ace by freshman outside hitter Casey Sheehan (Medway, Mass.) that capped the epic set in favor of Emmanuel.

The final set had a similar feel as set two needing extra points before the Saints wrapped up the match with a 28-26 win. Emmanuel held an early 9-5 lead before BSU scored six consecutive points to pull ahead 11-9 after a pair of EC attaching errors.  A kill by freshman outside Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.) made it 22-18, Emmanuel before the Bears rallied to tie the frame at 23-23 and then take a 24-23 lead after a few more Saints' hitting errors. With the set on the line, junior outside hitter Starr Ripley (Chicopee, Mass.) connected for a kill to make it 24-24. Bridgewater would have a chance to end the set, leading 26-25 but kill by freshman setter Carly Church (Higganum, Conn.) followed by a Chruscielski kill made it match point at 27-26. An attack error by the Bears gave the Saints their first victory of the 2015 campaign.

Chruscielski ended with nine kills and 10 digs while Shelow chipped in with seven in her collegiate debut. Schemerhorn dished out 23 helpers.

Sophomore middle Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, Mass.) led all hitters with a match-high 12 kills for BSU.

Emmanuel returns to action tomorrow when they play Springfield and Oneonta State at Springfield College at 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM. Bridgewater plays Oneonta State at 10:00 AM and Western Connecticut State University at 12:30 PM as part of the same tournament.