SAINTS SWEEP NORWICH, IMPROVE TO 2-0 IN GNAC

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Emmanuel College women's volleyball team defeated Norwich University 3-0 (5-11, 25-20, 25-17) on Saturday, Oct. 3 in Andrews Gymnasium. With the victory, the Saints improve to 2-0 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) and 3-9 overall, while the Cadets fall to 0-4 in the GNAC and 3-9 overall with the loss.

Emmanuel was led by junior middle hitter Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) with a team-high seven kills and three blocks and freshman Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.) who was second in kills with six along with the three digs. Junior Sarah Schemerhorn (Los Angeles, Calif.) came up with a team-high 10 assists, while freshman Casey Sheehan (Medway, Mass.) led the defensive efforts with 14 digs. 

Senior outside hitter Tara Lyons (Pocasset, Mass.) led the offensive attack for the Cadets with 13 kills, one assist and 12 digs, while sophomore setter Katie Crane (Avon, N.Y.) collected 17 assists and three digs with a kill. Junior Alex Ruediger (Sandy Lake, Pa.) posted a game-high 15 digs for Norwich.

The teams traded the first few points of the initial set, as the Saints took a 6-5 lead in the early going. After a Norwich service error, Saints freshman Angelica Czercowy (Hebron, Conn.) hit two service aces within three points to push the lead to 10-5.

Norwich was forced to call a timeout as Atkinson tallied a kill and then combined with senior Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) for a block, extending the Saints lead to 16-8. The Saints went on to win 9 of the next 12 points and took the first set 25-11.

Norwich jumped out to a steady lead through most of the second set, culminating in a 20-14 advantage after a kill by Crane. Emmanuel senior captain Danielle Rose (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) took back momentum with a kill and Norwich multiplied the damage with four attack errors and a bad set to allow the Saints to even the score at 20-20. Three aces from Sheehan plus two kills by Shelow finished the comeback for the Saints, who scored the final 11 points of the set and won it 25-20.

After going back and forth for the first nine points of the third set, the Saints took control, turning a 5-4 lead into a 16-8 advantage before Norwich called a timeout. Norwich fought to stick around in the set and the match, but Schemerhorn wrapped things up with a kill off of a Sheehan assist, ending the set at 25-17 and the match at 3-0.

The sweep is the second consecutive straight-set victory for the Saints after knocking off Mount Ida 3-0 earlier in the week.

Emmanuel posted a .184 attack percentage on 29 kills and 10 errors along with 15 total blocks as the Cadets mustered just 24 kills and 22 errors for a .019 kill percentage.

Norwich will return to GNAC action on Wednesday, Oct. 7 as the Cadets host Simmons College for a 7 p.m. match. Emmanuel stay on the road on Oct. 6 for a 7 p.m. contest at Framingham State University.