CHRUSCIELSKI RECORDS 1,000TH CAREER DIG IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION VS EMERSON

BOSTON, Mass. - Senior Jules Augustine (Skaneateles, N.Y.) and freshman Bella Edwards (Palisades, Calif.) each recorded 12 kills to power the Emerson College women's volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep over Emmanuel College in its final non-conference match of the 2016 season on Thursday night at Brown & Plofker Gym. The Lions took the first set by 25-21, followed by 25-23 and 25-22 wins to wrap up the sweep. 

Emmanuel senior Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) tallied five digs in the first set to put her over 1,000 career digs and became the seventh player in the Emmanuel women's volleyball program to reach that milestone.

With the win, Emerson improves to 16-9 overall, while Emmanuel falls to 10-17. 

Emerson opened up the first set with a 4-1 lead over Emmanuel before the Saints worked their way back to take their first lead at 10-9 on a service ace by sophomore Katherine Journeay (Hampton, N.H.). Emmanuel tied the set up twice before Emerson tallied four points to take the 19-16 lead. The Lions and Saints remained neck-and-neck to wrap up the opening frame with the score differential not going over three. Emerson capped off the 25-21 opening set win on an attack error committed by Emmanuel.

The Saints got on top 3-1 before the Lions started to fight its way back into the set and kept the match evenly keeled. After Edwards notched a kill that evened the set at 7-all, the Saints took its largest lead of two at 9-7 on a service ace. Emerson gained a 16-13 lead over Emmanuel before Saints answered with three consecutive points to square the score at 16-all. The Lions tallied the next seven of nine points to take the 23-18 lead over the Saints. Emmanuel put together a 5-1 streak to come within one at 24-23, but a kill from Augustine lifted Emerson to the 25-23 victory. 

After Emmanuel took the 3-0 lead to begin the third frame, Emerson made their way back to take the five point lead at 13-8 after two kills from seniors Annie Hall (Okemos, Mich.) and Amanda Linzmeyer (Huntington Beach, Calif.). The Lions held a lead of seven over the Saints, but it quickly diminished as they stormed back to square the match at 19-all and then took the 21-20 lead. However, Emerson answered with five of the last six points to take the 25-22 win and 3-0 match sweep. 

Augustine and Edwards led the Lions with 12 kills each. Edwards also tallied eight digs and one block as  Augustine also recorded three blocks and an ace. Sophomore Moira Brennan (Glenview, Ill.) had a match-high 37 assists, while senior Elizabeth Reid (Charlottesville, Va.) recorded a team-high 11 digs and two aces. 

Freshmen Marissa Cataldo (Melrose, Mass.) and Shannon Carroll (Massapequa, N.Y.) each recorded seven kills for Emmanuel. Cataldo also tallied 11 digs, while senior Sarah Schemerhorn (Los Angeles, Calif.) had a team-high 12 digs for the Saints. Carroll and freshman Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) led the Emmanuel defense with four blocks each. 

Emerson returns to the court next Tuesday as they play host to MIT for a 6:00 p.m. NEWMAC matchup, while Emmanuel heads to Smith tomorrow (Friday) to face Trinity (Conn.) at 7:30 p.m. 

*Release courtesy of Emerson College Sports Information