Nov. 14, 2009

Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University's volleyball team dropped its final regular season match, 3-2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 15-10), to New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon. Senior Harmonie Calinda (Huntington, N.Y.) was one of four Seawolves to record double-digit kills, leading the way with 21 while also picking up 19 digs. With the loss, SBU drops to 13-13 (5-5 America East) while UNH improves to 12-14 (4-5 America East). Stony Brook now has to wait and see if they qualify for the America East Championship.

After falling behind 3-1 to start the first set, the Seawolves scored three straight to take its first lead at 4-3. The two teams traded points before senior Lisa Doremus (Glendale, Ariz.) gave the Seawolves the lead again at 6-5. SBU would stay on top until the Wildcats used a 6-3 run to knot the score at 16-16. A block by Doremus and junior Ashley Headen (Alexandria, Va.) on the next play would put the Seawolves back on top for good as they held on for a 25-23 win. Calinda had a huge first set, recording seven kills and seven digs.

A back-and-forth start to the second set found the two teams knotted at five. SBU then went on to score five straight points, including three kills by Doremus, to break the game open. While the Wildcats kept within striking distance and did pull within one at 21-20, a kill and an ace from Doremus helped the Seawolves hold on for a two set advantage.

Stony Brook's offense faltered in the third set, committing a match-high seven errors on its way to a .114 attack percentage. The Seawolves hung tough, however, and were leading at 11-9 on a kill from Calinda. Behind the attack of Lindsay Fogarty, UNH then went on a 9-1 run though, giving them a seven point advantage. SBU would fight its way back to within one at 20-19 on a block from Headen and freshman Sally Downs (Coppell, Texas), but a pair of kills from Kirsten Bates helped UNH hold on for the 25-20 win.

Riding the momentum of the third set, the Wildcats came out on fire in the fourth, jumping out to a 10-4 lead. UNH, which led from start to finish, would commit just one error the entire frame as it hit .455 as a team and forced a deciding fifth game.

The two teams opened the fifth set by trading kills back-and-forth. Stony Brook received a balanced offensive attack as four different players recorded kills on its way to a 7-6 lead. Stony Brook's seventh point, a kill by senior Lindsey Gordon (N. Patchogue, N.Y.) would be the last kill recorded by the Seawolves, however, as they committed four attack errors down the stretch. UNH on the other hand committed just one error as it finished the match on a 9-3 run to complete the come from behind victory.

Stony Brook could be seeded anywhere from second to fourth depending on tomorrow's outcome.