Oct. 1, 2010

Box Score

Providence, R.I. - Junior Alicia Nelson (Apple Valley, Minn.) tallied 14 kills and nine digs and senior Ashley Headen registered 10 kills as the Stony Brook University volleyball team swept the Providence Friars, 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-19), in the conference opener for both teams on Friday night at Mullaney Gymnasium. Stony Brook improves to 6-11 overall and 1-0 in the America East with the victory.

Nelson hit .500 for the Seawolves, who held Providence to a .074 hitting percentage. Headen hit .346 and has now hit over .300 in six of her last eight matches. Senior Jeanette Gibbs (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) added a team-high nine digs for Stony Brook.

The Seawolves jumped on Providence early in the first set, scoring nine of the first 11 points. Providence closed to within 10-9 and still trailed by just two, 19-17, following an Emily Morris kill. But Morris followed with a service error and Stony Brook then scored five straight points, two on kills from Headen, to take a 1-0 lead.

Providence got off to a quick start in set two, grabbing a 10-5 lead. But the Seawolves slowly crept back, taking a 17-16 advantage on a kill from freshman Kaitlin Costello (Webster, N.Y.). Stony Brook went ahead 20-17 on a kill from Headen before the Friars rallied to it at 21.

Stony Brook took a 24-23 lead on a Nelson kill but Providence answered with a kill from Lauren Fletcher to tie it once again. Nelson responded with a kill though before a Fletcher attack error put the Seawolves up 2-0.

The Seawolves opened the third set by taking a 6-2 lead but the Friars then scored three straight points and neither team was able to grab more than a two-point lead until a service ace from sophomore Corinne Perry (Northport, N.Y.) gave Stony Brook a 15-12 advantage.

Providence cut the Seawolves lead to 18-16 but Stony Brook scored three straight points and the Friars got no closer than four the rest of the way as the Seawolves won their second straight match. SBU hit .346 in the final set.

The Seawolves return to action on Sunday, traveling to take on New Hampshire. Game time is set for 1 p.m.