CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Holy Cross volleyball team rallied from a 6-1 fifth set deficit to defeat Stonehill 3-2 in their first match at the Harvard Invitational before falling 3-1 to the host Crimson Saturday evening in the Malkin Athletic Center.

The split sends the Crusaders to 2-4 through their first two weekends while the Skyhawks fall to 0-6 and the Crimson remain undefeated at 3-0.

Junior Lauren Halverson was named to the All-Tournament Team after hitting .288 with 23 kills (1.92 K/S), and nine total blocks (0.75) over the three matches. She did most of her damage in the comeback victory against Stonehill hitting .400 with a new personal-high 11 kills to go with five blocks.

Classmate Abbie Lane set a new career-high with a contest best 18 kills in the win. Lane also added 10 digs and two aces in a double-double effort. Sophomore Rachel Johnson double-doubled with 11 kills and a career-high matching 18 digs. Junior Sarah Stokes tallied her first ever double-double with career-highs in assists (44) and digs (11).

 
MATCH ONE SET SCORES:

• Crusaders 3, Skyhawks 2 (19-25, 26-24, 25-23, 24-26, 16-14)

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Halverson put the Crusaders ahead by two, 4-2 in the early stages of the set. Stonehill countered by scoring four straight points to jump in front 6-4. Their lead improved to 11-6 and Holy Cross took a timeout. Back-to-back kills by Lane combined with an attack error dropped the deficit to three, 14-11. Stonehill expanded their edge to six, 18-12. Halverson and senior Sanaea Simmons countered with kills to come within four, 18-14. Stonehill eventually captured the set on a service error.
• A sophomore Madison Bailey ace pushed the Crusaders ahead 5-3 in the second set. Stonehill eventually tied the set then Holy Cross manufactured four straight with Stokes tallying two straight kills to lead 9-5. Lane placed an ace to double up the Skyhawks at 10-5. Four straight dropped the Skyhawks deficit to one. From there Holy Cross went on a 4-2 spurt to reestablish the edge at 15-12. Stonehill went on a 7-1 outburst to push ahead 21-18 late. A freeball kill by junior Rian Millership tie the score at 21 all. Stonehill pulled within set point at 24-21. Holy Cross closed the set with the final five points as Stokes set up Halverson on the right side for the 26-24 win.
• Both squads traded points and possessions early in the third set which led to a 5-5 tie. Stonehill led 14-12 until Holy Cross tacked on four straight with Lane accounting for three kills to regain the lead at 16-14. Stonehill answered with four straight of their own to jump back ahead 18-16. Holy Cross tilted momentum back their way following a timeout on the strength of five consecutive markers to lead 21-18. Stonehill tied it up again at 21-21 and at 23-23. Millership and Halverson combined for a dual block to take the set and the 2-1 match lead.
• Stokes recorded her third kill of the match to move the Crusader ahead 9-5. Back-to-back dual blocks from Simmons, Stokes and Johnson upped the score to 11-5. Stonehill came within four 17-13. They trimmed the margin to one, 21-20 due to five straight points. Two miscues and another Stokes ace put the Crusaders on set point at 24-20. The Skyhawks rattled off the final six points to force a fifth and deciding set.
• The Skyhawks run continued into the final set as they jumped in front 6-1. Lane's 18th kill of the match coupled with a Halverson and Simmons block brought the margin to 6-3. Holy Cross slashed the score to 7-5 following an attack error. A Simmons ace and a Millership and Stokes block knotted the score at 9-9. Millership pushed the Crusaders ahead 10-9. Stonehill reached game point at 14-13 but they served it into the net. Halverson was key for the Crusaders over the next two possessions as Halverson and Simmons teamed up for a block and she clinched the victory with a kill.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Both teams hit well in the opening set with Stonehill converting at a .390 clip and Holy Cross at .323.
• Three Crusaders had double-digit kills; Lane, Halverson and Johnson.
• Lane and Johnson double-doubled for the first time in the same match this season.
• Millership set a career-high with seven kills and six total blocks all while hitting .429.
• The Crusaders outblocked the Skyhawks 12-to-3.

 
MATCH TWO SET SCORES:

• Crimson 3, Crusaders 1 (21-25, 25-21, 17-25, 21-25)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Holy Cross built a 2-0 lead in the early going. A 9-2 Crimson run built up a 9-4 edge. Four straight markers via two Simmons kills, a Stokes kill, and an error cut the deficit to one, 9-8. Harvard regained the lead 14-9 following an attack error. The Crusaders got an attack error to pull within three, 22-19 late before Harvard clinched the set.
• Kills from Halverson, Lane and a Johnson ace gave the guests a 3-0 edge in the second set. A Simmons kill from the middle kept the Crusaders ahead by three, 6-3. Harvard used a 6-2 burst to take their first second set lead, 9-8 thanks to a tip kill on the left pin. Johnson powered the Crusaders back in the driver's seat at 11-9 getting a block and a kill. Harvard tied the game 16-16 until Simmons capped off a three point stretch with a kill on the right pin for the 19-16 lead. The Crimson drew within one, but the Crusaders stayed the course and rattled off the final three points to take the second set.
• Lane moved the Crusaders within one, 5-4 until the Crimson doubled up the Crusaders 8-4 following three straight points. The Harvard run expanded to 9-0 as an ace increased the score to 14-4. Holy Cross responded with a 6-1 burst of their own to half the deficit to 15-10. A Halverson kill put the guests behind by four 19-15. Harvard finished the set by outscoring the Crusaders 6-2.
• An attack miscue in the fourth set by Harvard put Holy Cross in the lead at 5-3. A 6-1 Harvard run moved them back ahead 9-6. Lane pushed the ball down the line to trim the Harvard lead to 15-13. Another freshman Haley Gill ace and a Simmons kill tied up the set 15-15 during a 5-0 Crusader outburst. The Crimson used a 5-1 stretch to hold a 21-17 score. Johnson put the Crusaders down two 23-21, but the Crimson closed out the match.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Lane, Johnson and Stokes double-doubled for the second straight match.
• Johnson has double digit kills in five out of six matches this season.
• Gill has exactly 18 digs in two of the last three games.
• Harvard tallied 12 aces to the Crusaders six and eight blocks to their three.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross remains on the road Wednesday, Sept. 6 at nonconference opponent Bryant (4-3)
• First serve is slated for 7 p.m.

 
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