Lombardo Matches Program, GNAC Aces’ Record in Volleyball’s 3-1 Win Over Newbury

BOSTON – Behind 24 aces, a program and GNAC record 14 from junior Talia Lombardo, the Suffolk women's volleyball team defeated Newbury, 3-1, inside Regan Gymnasium Saturday morning. The Rams took the non-conference match by set scores 11-25, 25-2, 25-18 and 25-8. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Newbury 1
RECORDS Suffolk (3-3) | Newbury (1-10) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Newbury grabbed the first set, 25-11, but it was all Suffolk from there as the Rams rolled in the second, 25-2, secured the third, 25-18, and locked up the match thanks to a 25-8 fourth frame win. 

SET 1 RECAP (25-11, NEWBURY)

• Suffolk fell behind 11-3 and Bonny Ducharme took a timeout to talk things over.
• The Rams could not break up the Nighthawks run as the visitors rolled to a 25-11 victory. 

SET 2 RECAP (25-2, SUFFOLK)

• Once the score struck 4-2 the Nighthawks would not score the remainder of the way.
• Behind Lombardo at the service line, the Rams piled on 20 unanswered points including nine aces from the junior co-captain to seal the frame, 25-2, and level the match. 

SET 3 RECAP (25-18, SUFFOLK)

• The score tied four times with the lead changing once in Newbury's favor at 6-5 thanks to a block solo by Stephanie Rheaume.
• Lombardo equalized the set at 6-all with a monster kill.
• The Rams rallied a 3-1 run and went on to outscore the Nighthawks 7-2 to grab a 16-9 advantage.
• Newbury couldn't make up ground as each team scored nine points apiece down the stretch and Suffolk locked up the set, 25-18. 

SET 4 RECAP (25-8, SUFFOLK)

• The Rams ran out to an 11-2 advantage and put on cruise control from there, holding the Nighthawks to just six more points the rest of the way, while tallying 14 of their own to secure the set, 25-8, and the match. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Lombardo's career night featured 14 aces, nine kills on a .533 hitting clip to go along with seven assists and five digs.
• Hannah Fabiano was nearly perfect on the attack as the freshman recorded seven kills in her eight attempts. She added three digs, one ace and one assist.
• Liz Kerek set up Suffolk's 30 kill offense with nine handouts, while the senior contributed four aces and seven digs to the Rams' defense
• Kayla Barbera chipped in five kills and four digs. 

NOTEWORTHY

• As a team, Suffolk tallied 24 aces, the most by the Rams in the Ducharme era and in the Rams' record book, which dates back to the 2011 season.
• Lombardo's aces tie the program and GNAC record for most aces in a four-match set, which was set by the Rams' Kelsey Armstrong in Sept. 13 2008 and Emmanuel's Erin Mosely (2005).
• Overall, Lombardo's 14 service aces sits 10th all-time in NCAA Division III history in a four-match contest.
• Lombardo is the first player is the first player in NCAA Division III to produce 14 aces or higher in a four-match outing since Emerson's Juliana Tucker racked up 17 aces Oct. 5, 2013.
• Suffolk and Newbury faced each other for the first time in the Ducharme era. 

POST-MATCH PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk closes tri-match action this afternoon versus Salem State at 3 p.m.