WHEATON DROPS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL, 3-0

BOSTON, Mass. – Senior middle hitter Kendall Jacobs (San Diego, Calif.) recorded a match-high 10 kills to lead the Wheaton College women's volleyball team past Emmanuel College, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-17), Thursday evening in non-conference action at the Jean Yawkey Center. With the win, the Lyons improve to 10-11 overall on the year while the loss drops the Saints to 6-12.

Wheaton controlled most of the action throughout the evening, holding Emmanuel to a dismal .010 team hitting percentage. The Lyons took advantage of 22 attack errors by the Saints and also hit well from the floor as a team with a .208 clip.

After trading scores early in first set, Wheaton went ahead for good on an Emmanuel ball handling error midway through the action to give the Lyons a 9-8 cushion. Back-to-back service aces by senior setter Deirdre Wilson (Aptos, Calif.) pushed the lead to 17-10 before the Saints went on a 5-1 run to keep it interesting at 18-15 following a kill by senior middle hitter Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.). The hosts could not complete the comeback, making several errors down the stretch to give the visitors a 25-19 first set win.

Emmanuel appeared to right things during set two, jumping out to a 10-2 lead behind the strong service game of junior outside hitter Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) and junior libero Sarah Schemerhorn (Los Angeles, Calif.). The Lyons would claw their way back, eventually tying the score at 14-14 on an ace by junior libero Olivia Wilson (Alameda, Calif.). The hosts would regain the lead, ahead late in the set 21-18 after a kill by freshman outside hitter Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.) but Wheaton closed out the frame on a 7-1 run to come from behind to win 25-22.

The Saints killed the Lyons momentum at the start of set three, jumping out to a 4-0 lead behind Chruscielski's service game. Wheaton didn't let it bother them, taking the eventual lead for good at 8-7 on a kill by freshman middle Claire Cansler (Newhall, Calif.).  The Lyons hit a match-best .258 in the set en route to the 25-17 win.

Cansler was second to Jacobs with seven kills while D. Wilson chipped in with 15 assists, six winners and a .444 hitting clip. Sophomore libero Stephanie Martin (Centerville, Mass.) was stellar defensively with a match-high 18 kills.

Shelow and Tutalo recorded six kills a piece to lead the Saints. Senior setter Shannon Dudley (Morro Bay, Calif.) dished out a match-high 17 assists while Schemerhorn added 13 digs in the loss.

Emmanuel returns to action on Saturday, October 17 in a key GNAC tri-match against Johnson & Wales University and Saint Joseph's College (ME). The tri begins at 10:00 AM on the JWU campus with the Saints taking on the host Wildcats. Wheaton is back in action the same day when they host Rhode Island College and Eastern Connecticut State University in a non-conference tri-match starting at 11:00 AM.