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Amherst Ends Regular Season Schedule Unbeaten at Home with Win Over ECSU
Story Courtesy of the Amherst Athletics Site
AMHERST, MA – The Amherst College volleyball team matched
the best start in program history this evening with its 15th
consecutive win to improve to 18-1 on the year. The Lord Jeffs
swept Eastern Connecticut State University 3-0 this evening for the
milestone win, while also completing the regular season home
schedule undefeated at LeFrak Gymnasium (9-0) for the first time
since 2000.
The Warriors hung with the Lord Jeffs until the midpoint of all
three sets, but Amherst pulled away for the victory with scores of
25-13, 25-20, and 25-20. The result dropped ECSU to 11-12 on the
year.
In the opening set, ECSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead, before Amherst
rallied back to take an 8-5 advantage on a Cristy Meier (San
Anselmo, CA) kill. Through the first 13 points of the night, Meier
had four kills and no errors on just four total attempts. Amherst
forced ECSU into timeouts trailing 14-11 and 19-13 in the first
frame, with emphatic points coming at those junctures on a Jackie
Berkley (Fullerton, CA) ace and a block by Meier and Laura Hyman
(Glencoe, IL).
After the second stoppage, the Lord Jeffs cruised to the 25-13
opening set win, riding five kills apiece from Meier and Hyman. The
pair’s 10 kills in the first set came on just 15 total
attempts, with no errors.
ECSU played with Amherst deep into the second set, holding a lead
at 14-13 and tying the game at 17-17. The Jeffs took control of the
scoreboard late though, striding out to a 21-18 advantage, before
closing out the second frame 25-20. Meier and Katherine Kanoff
(Pacific Palisades, CA) each registered five kills in the second
set to pace the Amherst offense.
In the third and final set, Eastern held a lead as late as 15-12 to
force Amherst into a timeout. The Jeffs did not turn the table on
the Warriors until Kanoff’s serve came up in the rotation.
Amherst regained the lead at 16-15 on the junior’s fifth and
final service ace of the night. Rookie Devin Pence (Los Angeles,
CA) added an ace to put Amherst up 21-18, before closing out the
win 25-20.
ECSU was led by seven kills apiece from Julie Forler and Erynn
Miller. Samantha Slonski added six kills on 12 total attempts, with
one error. Slonski added 14 assists, while Miller and Taylor Abelli
paced the Warrior back line with 13 and 12 digs, respectively.
Meier and Kanoff led the Amherst attack with 12 and 10 kills,
respectively. Sophomore Callie Neilson (Escondido, CA) dished out
another 37 assists to pass the 700-mark for the season. Reigning
NESCAC Player of the Week Rachel Yorke (Los Angeles, CA) had 25
digs in the win.
The Lord Jeffs will compete in the 2010 Hall of Fame Classic this
weekend, with an opening match scheduled against Wellesley for
Friday night at Smith College. The match is set to begin at 5
p.m.
