SAINTS WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON WITH 3-2 WIN AT ECSU

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Emmanuel College put together a five-set victory over the Eastern Connecticut State University Women's Volleyball Team to close out the regular season at 21-12 overall.  The 3-2 win by set scores of 25-16, 25-23, 18-25, 23-25 and 15-13 was a non-conference match played in ECSU's Francis E. Geissler Gymnsium on Saturday afternoon.

Eastern held a slim lead throughout the fifth set until Emmanuel pulled even three times late in the set. A kill from freshman Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury, Conn.) provided the Warriors with a 13-12 lead, but the hosts committed three errors to end the match – two on attack errors and one on a match-ending block error on a kill from sophomore Shannon Dudley (Morro Bay Calif.).

Eastern (14-15) closed out its regular season later Saturday with a 25-14, 25-11, 25-12 non-conference victory over the University of Saint Joseph, CT (9-19).  Down two sets against Emmanuel, Eastern battled back. It won the third set behind six kills from Mihalek and eight digs each from junior Jess Patrizi (Beacon Falls, Conn.) and Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, Mass.). The Warriors took the lead for good in that set by scoring four straight points to snap a 7-all tie. In that stretch, Mihalek had a kill, Patrizi a service ace and freshman Kay Mullen (Fairhaven, Mass.) and Mihalek block assist.

The Warriors raced to leads of 5-0 and 7-2 in the fourth set but the Saints surged back, taking their first lead at 16-15 and again at 23-22 on a kill from 6-foot-3 inch freshman Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.). With Eastern facing extinction, Mihalek tied the set and senior Nicki Gasch (New Fairfield, Conn.) gave Eastern a 24-23 lead with kills. Following an Emmanuel timeout, Mullen and Gasch teamed up for a block to end the set and force a deciding set.

Mihalek collected nearly one-third of Eastern's attack attempts, finishing with 18 kills. Gasch followed with 16 and Mullen 13, with that duo also cimbing on eight blocks. Patrizi served five aces and sophomore Bry Kelly (Dunbarton, N.H.) four. Luppi recorded 21 digs, Mihalek 17, Patrizi 14 and freshman Nina Zimmitti (East Hampton, Conn.) ten. Patrizi also set for 26 assists, junior Allie Henry (Middletown Conn.) 22.

Atkinson led the Saints with 15 kills, freshman Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) 11 and junior Sarah Colby (West Barnstable, Mass.) and sophomore Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) eight each. Dudley led Emmanuel with 38 assists, junior Cara Callahan (Medway, Mass.) with 27 digs and Tutalo with four blocks.

With the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament, the Saints will play host to No. 7 Suffolk University on Tuesday night.  The GNAC Quarterfinal match will be played in Emmanuel's Jean Yawkey Center at 7:00 PM.

- Release courtesy of Eastern Connecticut State University Sports Information