NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Holy Cross volleyball senior Gracyn Benck was named to the All-Tournament Team as the Crusaders concluded their season opening weekend at the Iona Tournament with two setbacks, dropping a 3-1 decision to host Iona before falling by a 3-0 score to Providence Saturday.

Benck started and played in all matches for Holy Cross recording a team-high 20 hills while hitting .333 and tallying one dig. The outside hitter produced a career-high .611 hitting percentage with 12 kills against the host Gaels. The losses send the Crusaders to 0-3 on the young season while the Gaels and Friars move to 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.
 
MATCH ONE SET SCORES:

• Gaels 3, Crusaders 1 (20-25, 20-25, 25-23, 16-25)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders took an early 2-1 lead when Benck converted an attack attempt set up by senior Halle Carter. Trailing 4-2, Holy Cross erupted for a 6-1 spurt using aces from freshman Rachel Johnson and senior Emma VanSeveren to jump ahead 8-5. Kills from Johnson and sophomore Mia Hofacker with a junior Sanaea Simmons ace upped the margin to 14-10 in favor of the guests. Iona eventually tallied five straight to regain the lead 15-14. A sophomore Abbie Lane kill put Holy Cross in the lead by one, 19-18. Simmons halted four straight Gael points with a kill making it 23-19. Stjade connected on the set clinching kill that banged off a Crusader's arm and out of play.
• Holy Cross trailed 10-3 in the second set and called a timeout. They countered with two points, one via a service error and the other when Simmons smoked a ball from the middle to trail 10-5. A Crusader service error doubled up the margin 16-8 for Iona. Behind 20-13, two Johnson kills a Hofacker kill and a senior Peyton Dewers ace put Holy Cross down 20-17 until the Gaels closed out the set.
• Six straight by Holy Cross capped off by a Russell ace doubled up the score 8-4 in the early stages of the third set. Iona went on a 6-2 scoring run to deadlock the set 10-10. The teams traded points and Iona took a three point lead 19-16 after back-to-back blocks. A service error and a Johnson kill put the Crusaders within one, 19-18. With the third set tied 23-23 Johnson and Benck pummeled two straight kills to clinch the set win.
• Johnson tied the fourth set at 9-9 with another kill. Iona went on a 6-1 run to lead 15-10. Hofacker put her squad within four, 18-14. Iona eventually won the match on a 7-2 binge.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• In only her second career match, Johnson recorded a game-high 14 kills. She was one of three players who recorded double-digit kills for Holy Cross.
• Benck tallied 12 kills and a match-best .611 hitting percentage which was also a career-high.
• Russell (19) and Carter (17) recorded 15 or more assists each.
• VanSeveren set career-highs in digs (18) and assists (5).
• Iona had a superior net presence recording 15 total blocks to the Crusader six.

 
MATCH TWO SET SCORES:

• Friars 3, Crusaders 0 (16-25, 20-25, 21-25)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Carter notched the first points of the game for the Crusaders to move them ahead 1-0. The Friars eventually built up a 12-7 margin following a Kayla Grant kill. Two straight kills off the swing off sophomore Rian Millership and Benck cut the deficit to five, 14-9. Hofacker and Simmons skied up for a block on the right pin to keep the Crusaders within five, 17-12. Providence kept tacking on points before capturing the opening set.
• In the second stanza the Crusaders took a two point, 7-5 lead when Russell dropped in an ace. Providence rallied trailing 8-6 for five straight to recapture the edge. The Crusaders regained the margin 15-14 as Johnson placed two aces. Simmons kept her team within a point at 21-20, but the Friars reeled off the final four markers.
• Lane dropped an ace to expand the Holy Cross lead to 9-6 in the third set. PC eventually jumped back ahead off a Shaliyah Rhoden kill at 17-15. Down six, Holy Cross got four straight points with kills from the freshman trio of Gracie Reisman, Russell, and Johnson to make it a 23-21 set. Two attack miscues completed the sweep for PC.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Lane chipped in a team-high 10 kills with seven digs while hitting .348.
• Benck hit .400 to go with six kills.
• VanSeveren recorded double-digit digs for the second straight match.
• Sammie Ruggles handed out 32 assists for the Friars.
• Providence outhit Holy Cross .337-to-.171 in the match.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross remains on the road this coming Tuesday, August 30 to take on Merrimack in North Andover at 7:00 p.m.

 
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