THE BASICS:
- Score: Southern Conn. 3, Assumption 0 (Match 1); Caldwell 3, Assumption 2 (Match 2)
- Records: Southern Conn. (3-0), Caldwell (1-1), Assumption (0-2)
- Location: New Haven, Conn. (Pelz Gymnasium)
- The Lead: Assumption had a slow start against Southern Connecticut that the Hounds were unable to rebound from, but had a comeback effort against Caldwell after being down 2-0 only to come up short in the fifth set.
MATCH 1: SOUTHERN CONN.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Hounds started out the match strong taking an early 7-2 lead in the first set, forcing Southern Connecticut to take a timeout with Ariana Orcera (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico/Colegio Marista) claiming three of the points. The Owls answered with five straight points only disrupted by Mary Campbell (Plainville, Mass./Bishop Feehan) with a kill from Danielle Zarcone (Hauppauge, N.Y./Smithtown High School West). Southern Connecticut scored the final six points of the set to win 25-21.
- The second set was back and forth points until the Owls had a five-point run followed by a six-point run to take a 15-6 lead. Assumption was able to rally three points together to get within six before the Owls took control and won the set 25-15.
- The third set was a battle until Assumption earned four straight points forcing the Owls to take a timeout and earning an 8-6 lead. The Hounds grew their lead to three before the back and forth battle continued. The Owls took and 18-14 lead following three three-point rallies before Assumption tied it up and then took a 20-18 with Campbell recording two service aces. Both teams only earned two points at a time until Southern Connecticut managed to get the third point to go ahead by two and win the set 29-27 and ultimately win the match.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Orcera led the Hounds with six kills followed by Campbell with four and Jill Orosz (Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) with three.
- Zarcone led with 11 assists while classmate Kyra Belden (Hollis, N.H./Hollis-Brookline High School) recorded eight.
- Orcera and Brenna Chrisom (Dover, N.H./Saint Thomas Aquinas) both earned eight digs while Zarcone tallied seven and Alexandra Krawczyk (East Patchogue, N.Y./Bellport) recorded six.
MATCH 2: CALDWELL
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Caldwell jumped out to an early 10-5 lead forcing the Hounds to take a timeout. Assumption tried to answer back with a three-point rally, but was unable to close the deal and lost the first set 25-14.
- The Cougars started the second set much like the first before Assumption started the back and forth battle. The Hounds had a five-point run to get within one (16-15) before Caldwell began trading points with them again. The Cougars strung together two points before scoring the final point and winning the set 25-23.
- The third set was more of trading points between teams until Tess Haller (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) started to serve for the Hounds. Haller led the team to six straight points while earning a service ace to take a 17-15 lead. Zarcone would serve the Hounds to the final eight points of the set and earn Assumption the 25-16 win.
- Laine Peterson (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake) started the rally for the Hounds in the fourth set combined with a service ace to take an early 8-1 lead. After the Hounds advanced their lead back to seven (18-11) Caldwell took a timeout and answered with their own five-point rally to get within two (20-18). After the Cougars tied the set at 23, the Hounds took control of the final two points and tied the match at 2-2 with a 25-23 set win.
- The Cougars came out and dominated the fifth set earning seven straight points for an 11-3 lead. The Hounds were able to put together four points before Caldwell finished the set 15-7 and took the match 3-2.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Orcera tallied 16 kills to lead the Hounds with Haller and Orosz earning eight apiece.
- Belden took the lead in assists with 21 while Zarcone recorded 14.
- Krawczyk led the Hounds with 20 digs and Orcera followed with 19 on the match. Both Belden and Chrisom earned 11 apiece.
UP NEXT:
- The Hounds are back on the court Wednesday, September 11 against Bridgeport at 7 p.m. in Laska Gymnasium.
STAY CONNECTED:
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