Oct. 18, 2011

Box Score

BOSTON, MASS. - Senior outside hitter Jenna Ross (Centerburg, Ohio) recorded 14 kills and 10 digs to lift the Emmanuel College women's volleyball team over Simmons College, 3-1, Tuesday evening at the Holmes Sports and Fitness Center. During the fourth and final set of play, Ross recorded her ninth dig of the match to become the Saints all-time career leader in digs, surpassing her former teammate Amanda Machado (2005-08) who previously held the record with 1,431 digs. Ross is now the all-time leader with 1,433 digs and helped EC improve to 15-13 overall and 7-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action. The loss drops the Sharks to 16-6 overall and 6-2 in the GNAC.

The Sharks came out firing on all cylinders, jumping out to an early 7-3 lead in the opening frame following a pair of service aces but the Saints responded with four straight points to even the set a 7-7. Unfortunately for the visitors, it was the closest they'd get the remainder of the opening set that saw several unforced hitting errors allowing the hosts to open with a 25-20 win.

Emmanuel came back strong in the second set behind senior middle hitter Rebecca Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) to even the match at 1-1. Stanton collected five kills in the set and in this frame, it was the Sharks who had trouble serving the ball as they'd collect six service errors to help EC grab a 25-16 win.

The third set was all Emmanuel as the Saints never trailed in the action en route to a 25-18 win to take control of the match, 2-1. Ross was strong offensively collecting five kills in the game while the team defense and passing was right on cue to allow senior setter Kathryne Olsen (Fairhaven, Mass.) run the offensive show. Olsen would finish the night with 23 assists to go along with five kills.

The Saints continued to push in the fourth set with the action going back and forth early. Simmons grabbed the lead at 6-5 following a kill by senior outside hitter Meaghan Flynn (Laguna Beach, Calif.) but a kill by Ross would even the match at 6-6 and from there on the Saints would not look back, taking the final set 25-18 and the match, 3-1.

Flynn paced the Sharks with 13 kills, a 0.297 hitting percentage and 13 digs while junior Kelly Last (West Haven, Conn.) was solid with five kills and 14 digs. Sophomore Sandy Lor (Fitchburg, Mass.) posted 13 digs to carry the Sharks defense along with Rossi Fish (North Attleboro, Mass.) who blocked well.

Stanton finished the match with 14 kills and a .520 hitting percentage while junior libero Yun-Ting Lee (Cambridge, Mass.) was stellar on the Saints defensive end, recording 21 digs in the win.

The victory was a crucial win for the Saints, catapulting them above the Sharks in the GNAC standings alone into third place.

Emmanuel will return to action on Thursday, October 20 when they head to Quincy, Mass. to take of Eastern Nazarene College at 7:00 p.m. while the Sharks play the same night, heading to Colby-Sawyer for a 2:00 p.m. match.