BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women's Volleyball team rallied from a 1-2 deficit to claim its second straight five-set victory, downing Williams College 3-2 in the team's first home match of the season.
 
Hawk Highlights
Maddie Neuberger (Remsenburg, N.Y.): 17 kills, 1 assists, 2 solo blocks, 2 block assists
Katherine Pickard (St. Petersburg, Fla.): 17 kills, 1 dig, 3 block assists
Julia Fields (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.):  51 assists, 5 kills, 8 digs, 1 service ace
Grace Kenningham (Houston, Texas): 8 kills, 16 digs, 6 assists
Kate Grabowski (Hebron, Conn.): 21 digs, 1 assist
Lara LoIacono (Lynbrook, N.Y.): 11 kills, 2 block assists, 1 dig
 
For The Opponents
Alexandra Newton (Manhattan Beach, Calif.): 19 assists, 11 digs, 3 kills, 1 service ace
Lydia Kurtz (Cincinnati, Ohio): 13 kills, 5 digs, 4 service aces
Daiana Takashima (Walnut Creek, Calif.): 18 digs, 7 assists, 2 service aces
Gracie Guidotti (Orinda, Calif.): 18 assists, 3 digs, 1 kill, 2 service aces
 
How It Happened
The Hawks began the match by taking the first set 25-15. RWU utilized a 6-0 run halfway the game to turn a 13-12 lead into a 19-12 lead in addition to scoring the final three points of the set.
 
Williams came back in the second set, opening the game on a 5-1 run and eventually taking a 14-6 lead. Roger Williams would not quit, chipping away at the deficit until the team pulled within three (21-24). However, a kill for Williams on the ensuing point tied the match at one.
 
The third set was back and forth early on, with neither side leading by more than four. The Ephs were able to get a little breathing room halfway through the game, taking a 19-15 advantage. Williams was able to maintain the lead the rest of the way, with a service ace by Daiana Takashima making it 25-18 and putting the Ephs up 2-1.
 
The fourth set was also close, with six ties and three lead changes. Late in the set, Williams held a 21-18 lead and the momentum, forcing an RWU timeout. Coming out of the break, RWU went on a push, eventually tying the set at 23 on a service ace by Julia Fields and setting up an Eph timeout of their own. After a bad set by Williams, Lara LoIacono spiked a kill to set up the fifth deciding set.
 
Williams jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the final set, but RWU persevered, with back-to-back kills by Katherine Pickard putting RWU up 8-7. Three straight kills by Maddie Neuberger would later give RWU a 12-8 lead, while Kristen Dansereau (Killingworth, Conn.) claimed the 15-11 set for RWU with a kill.
 
What's Next
Roger Williams (3-7): Friday, September 21 at Brandeis @ 6:00pm
Williams (8-3): Friday, September 21 at Hamilton @ 8:00pm