Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Grace Kenningham (Houston, Texas) had a match-high 13 kills with only one error and
Emiley Melillo (Kenmore, Wash.) had 37 assists and seven block assists to pace the Roger Williams University women's volleyball team to a three-set non-conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Tuesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium. Scores were 25-21, 25-23, 25-22.
The win extends Roger Williams' (6-2) win streak against Eastern (6-2) to four straight. The Warriors have dropped six straight sets after opening the season by winning its first 12 sets.
Melillo,
Molly Quilty (Duxbury, Mass.) and
Jill McManaman (Bellerose Village, N.Y.) combined for 18 of the Hawks' 22 block assists, which accounted in part for Eastern's attack percentage of .176. Following Melillo, Quilty had six block assists and McManaman five.
Lara LoIacono (Lynbrook, N.Y.) added ten kills and a .381 attack percentage for Roger Williams, with libero
Meghan Chartier (West Point, N.Y.) and
Nicki Fallisi (Salem, N.H.) each digging 13 balls.
Eastern's Alaetra Long (Lincoln, Neb.) shared match-high kill honors with Kenningham, but attacked at only .176, while Abby Stern (Manchester, Conn.) followed with 11 assists but only a .148 attack percentage. Michelle Valliere (Lebanon, Conn.) led Eastern with 11 digs, Leah Sopneski (Deep River, Conn.) and Mckenzie Maneggia (Andover, Conn.) combining for 31 assists.
Trailing 10-8 in the first set, the Hawks outscored Eastern 8-1 to gain the momentum with a 16-11 lead. The Warriors never trailed in the second set – leading by five throughout most of the first half – until the Hawks finally surged ahead, 19-18, for the first time, and never trailed thereafter. Eastern also had the lead throughout most of the third set – moving out to a six-point lead at one point – and took a two-point lead into the latter stages of the set, but Roger Williams erased a 22-20 deficit by scoring the final five points.
Eastern opens its Little East Conference season Saturday, hosting Keene State College at noon and hosting Salve Regina University in a non-conference match at 4 p.m.
- Release courtesy of the Eastern Connecticut State University Sports Information Department
