SAINTS SNAG TWO MORE WINS IN GNAC TRI-MATCH
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Emmanuel College Women’s Volleyball Team posted the program’s tenth 20+ win season, picking up pair of wins on Saturday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match. Emmanuel defeated the host University of Saint Joseph Blue Jays, 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-23), before squeaking past Johnson & Wales University, 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-13). With the two wins in USJ’s O’Connell Center, the Saints now stand at 21-10 on the season and 8-1 in GNAC action. In the final match of the day, JWU downed USJ, 3-1, as both the Saints and the Wildcats handed the Blue Jays their first GNAC losses of the season.
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The Emmanuel College Women's Volleyball Team posted the program's tenth 20+ win season, picking up pair of wins on Saturday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match. Emmanuel defeated the host University of Saint Joseph Blue Jays, 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-23), before squeaking past Johnson & Wales University, 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-13). With the two wins in USJ's O'Connell Center, the Saints now stand at 21-10 on the season and 8-1 in GNAC action. In the final match of the day, JWU downed USJ, 3-1, as both the Saints and the Wildcats handed the Blue Jays their first GNAC losses of the season.
In the opener, Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) had seven kills and four total blocks and Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) had a team-high eight kills to lead the Saints offense. Atkinson had put-aways on set points in each of the first two sets and Chruscielski slammed down the final kill on match point in the third. Senior libero Cara Callahan (Medway, Mass.) notched 20 digs in the win for the Saints.
Tiffany Mapusaga (Waianae, Haw.) posted a match-high 15 kills and a team-high 16 digs for the host Blue Jays, while Ciara Perez (Manchester, Conn.) tallied nine kills. Megan Williams (Lakeville, Conn.) handed out 27 assists and Elizabeth Tuazon (Mystic, Conn.) picked up 11 digs for USJ.
Chruscielski and junior Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) combined for 25 kills in the Saints' five-set win over JWU. This marked Chriscielski's eighth double-double of the season, as the sophomore also picked up 13 digs. Senior Sarah Colby (West Barnstable, Mass.) was a kill away from a double-double with nine kills and 10 digs. Junior setter Shannon Dudley (Morro Bay, Cal.) handed out 34 assists to go along with her 21 digs for the Saints. Callahan gathered another 20 digs in the win, while Chruscielski and Dudley each served up four aces.
Johnson & Wales spread its offense, as Paula Cadavid (Pawtucket, R.I.) had 11 kills and Tai Heath (Clinton, Md.) and Marissa Bunnewith (Millbury, Mass.) notched 10 apiece. Kaitlin Kuntz (Boone, Iowa) shined defensively with 32 digs and Kellen Tensen (New Canaan, Conn.) had 42 assists.
Emmanuel scored the first three points of the fifth set and never trailed in the decider. JWU was able to pull within one at 12-11 on a kill from Cadavid, but consecutive kills from Chruscielski gave the Saints three match points. JWU fought off the first two, but a Wildcats hitting error ended the match for EC.
The Saints will play one final regular season non-conference match this week, traveling to Salve Regina University on Thursday night for a 7:00 PM start. Emmanuel will then host Suffolk University and Norwich University in a GNAC tri-match on Saturday, November 1st, with match times at 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. The three seniors on the Emmanuel squad (Callahan, Colby and Christine Durkee) will be honored prior to the start of the first match.
- Courtesy of USJ Sports Information