Volleyball Secures 3-2 Thriller at Albertus Magnus

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Suffolk volleyball team picked up a thrilling 3-2 victory at Albertus Magnus Saturday afternoon at the AMC Athletic Center. The Rams earned the win by set scores, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21, 22-25 and 15-12. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3, Albertus Magnus 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-6, 3-2 GNAC) | Albertus Magnus (11-7, 1-3 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk fell behind early as the Falcons took the first frame, 25-23. The Rams rebounded in the ensuing sets with a 25-16 second stanza win and a 25-21 third frame victory to go ahead 2-1 in the match. Albertus Magnus forced the fifth frame as it came back in the fourth, 25-22. In a tightly contest final frame, Suffolk came out on top, 15-12 to stretch its win streak to three straight. 

SET ONE RECAP (25-23, ABLERTUS MAGNUS)

• Suffolk found itself in a 5-0 hole.
• The Rams outscored the Falcons 6-2 to pull within one, 7-6.
• A block by Hannah Fabiano leveled the playing field at 9-all before a bad set by Genesis Cora Luquis gave the Rams their first lead of the day, 10-9.
• Albertus Magnus rattled off eight unanswered points to turn the table and regain the advantage, 18-12.
• The teams traded points, but Suffolk had too much ground to make up and the Falcons went on to take the set, 25-23. 

SET TWO RECAP (25-16, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk grabbed a 5-0 lead.
• The Rams remained in front at the midway point, 11-6.
• The blue and gold's advantaged blossomed to a 20-12 edge.
• See-saw action ended the frame with Suffolk in front, 25-16. 

SET THREE RECAP (25-21, SUFFOLK)

• A back-and-forth battle was present to open the action with Suffolk ahead, 5-3.
• Thanks to four answered points the Falcons went ahead, 8-6.
• The score equalized four times with the scoreboard reading 15-15 before the Rams rebuilt an edge.
• A 4-0 spurt by Suffolk put the visitors ahead, 19-15.
• An ace by Emma Feeney set up match point, 24-18, but the Falcons had other things in mind, putting the next three points on the board to pull within three, 24-21.
• Thanks to an Albertus Magnus mistake, a Cora Luquis service error, the Rams took the frame, 25-21. 

SET FOUR RECAP (25-22, ALBERTUS MAGNUS)

• The score stood even at 9-9.
• Suffolk gained a three-point edge, 12-9, but the Falcons responded with three of their own to level the playing field once again 12-all.
• The teeter, totter set ensued as four consecutive Suffolk points were followed up by six from the Falcons that gave the hosts an 18-16 cushion.
• The Rams looked to make up ground and used a handle of spurts, but Albertus Magnus' five consecutive points set up set point, 24-21,
• A kill by Fabiano broke up the run, but a service error by Suffolk's Bridget Allison allowed the Falcons to take the set, 25-22. 

SET FIVE RECAP (15-12, SUFFOLK)

• A battled was present for the entire frame with the score holding at 10-all.
• Suffolk coupled two points together – kills from Liz Kerek and Fabiano – to put distance between the Rams and Falcons.
• Points see-sawed back-and-forth the remainder of the way and Suffolk sealed the win thanks to Allison's fifth kill of the day.   

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Fabiano and Chidera Nwankwo each posted 14 kills to lead Suffolk's offense. Nwankwo hit an impressive .440 in the victory.
• Kerek set up the Rams' 51 kills, registering 41 assists to go along with a 20-dig effort on the defensive side of action.
• Kayla Barbera added 10 kills with Lombardo pitching in six.
• Dakhhensey Marcellus (17 digs), Lombardo (15 digs) and Fabiano (11) all added to the defense. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk strung together its third consecutive victory including third straight conference win marking the longest league win streak since rattling four Oct. 19-29, 2005.
• The Rams are 2-1 in five-set matches this season.
• The Rams improved to 18-1 in the all-time series with Albertus Magnus that dates back to 2000.
• For the first-time in the all-time series, Suffolk and Albertus Magnus went to five sets.
• Suffolk improved to 3-0 versus the Falcons under Bonny Ducharme.
• Suffolk stretched its win streak against Albertus Magnus to six matches.
• Fabiano notched her third double-double of the season, while Kerek notched her second and eighth of her collegiate career.
• Kerek's 41 assists are a new career-best for the senior. 

POST-MATCH PIC
 

COMING UP
Suffolk begins a four-match homestand Wednesday, Oct. 4 when it welcomes Lasell to Regan Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. match.