DURHAM, N.H. – The Holy Cross volleyball team wrapped up their weekend at the Holly Young Invitational hosted by New Hampshire. They fell twice on Saturday, 3-0 to Northeastern and 3-2 in a fifth and deciding set to St. Peter's in Lindholm Gymnasium.

The defeats send the Crusaders to 0-3 early in the season while the Huskies moved to 2-0 and the Peacocks to 1-2.

Junior outside hitter Taliah Lee averaged 3.09 kills per set (34 kills) and 2.09 digs per set (23 digs) for the Crusaders this past weekend. Freshman setter/right side KK Green posted 2.27 kills per set (25 kills) and hit .314 over the course of the three contests.

MATCH ONE SET SCORES:
Huskies 3, Crusaders 0 (17-25, 17-25, 22-25)

HOW MATCH ONE HAPPENED: 

• Holy Cross took a 3-2 edge early in the contest following Green's kill from the right side. Northeastern jumped ahead doubling up the score 10-5 following an ace. Senior setter Katie Russell got an ace to drop the margin to three, 12-9. Lee and freshman middle blocker Kyla Harris combined for a stuff at the left pin putting the Crusaders down 21-14. Northeastern took the set 25-17.
• Russell set up Lee for a kill to break a tie and give the Crusaders an 8-7 margin. The Huskies responded outscoring the Crusaders 6-3 over the next few serves to jump ahead 13-11. Green trimmed the deficit to one 14-13 connecting on an attack attempt. From there, the Huskies closed the set on an 11-4 run to take a 2-0 match lead.
• Lee kickstarted the third set with her 10th kill of the contest. Green followed her teammate to increase the Crusader lead to 2-0. The Huskies climbed ahead for the first time following a bad set by Holy Cross. A Harris ace put her team in front 10-8. Northeastern gained the lead once again following an ace making the score 15-13. Holy Cross stayed down one 23-22, but two straight blocks by Northeastern clinched the contest.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Green hit a squad-high .556 in the match with her first double-digit kill contest of her career.
• Lee posted a match-high 13 kills and was one dig shy of a double-double (nine).

MATCH TWO SET SCORES:
Peacocks 3, Crusaders 2 (18-25, 25-20, 22-25m 25-22, 15-17)

HOW MATCH TWO HAPPENED:

• St. Peter's built a 9-6 advantage in the opening set. Holy Cross posted five straight points including two blocks and a kill from sophomore middle blocker Lacey Murphy and a Lee kill from the outside for the 11-9 margin. Behind 13-11, St. Peter's put together nine consecutive points to take a 20-13 advantage. The Crusaders came within six, however the Peacocks finished off their opponents 25-18.
• The second set was all Holy Cross as freshman right side Madelyn Blakey and Harris skied up for a block moving their team in the lead at 7-4 in the early stages. With the set level 10-10 Murphy smashed a pair of attack attempts from the middle for kills to put her team back ahead. The match was tied again 13 all and the Crusaders used two straight aces with sophomore setter Tuana Ozarpaci serving part of a 7-1 outburst for the 20-14 edge. The Peacocks came as close as three points, but a Lee kill coupled with a bad set tied the contest 1-1.
• St. Peter's started the crucial third set hot posting the opening five points before Holy Cross took a timeout. Another point increased their lead to 6-0. Freshman outside hitter Emma Sorensen placed an ace to bring the score even 12-12. St. Peter's eventually built a 22-18 score. Holy Cross got two kills by Harris and another Sorensen ace with a Peacock miscue to tie the set 22-22. St. Peter's scored the final three points.
• Both teams traded blows through the opening stages of the fourth set until St. Peter's grew an 11-8 lead. With the Peacocks still in front by three, Holy Cross notched a 5-1 mini run getting two kills from Green and Lee for the 15-14 score. St. Peter's captured the lead yet again but a pair of kills from Lee sent the Crusaders to a fifth set.
• Holy Cross held a 4-1 margin early in the fifth and final set. The Peacocks went on a 7-1 run which put them ahead 8-5 when the teams switched sides. Behind 12-9, Holy Cross tallied five straight points with Green racking up two kills and a block with Harris contributing. St. Peter's held off the Crusaders coming back for the 17-15 set win.

INSIDE THE BOX:

• Sorensen and Lee double-doubled for the first time in their career. Sorensen had a contest and career-best 15 kills with 11 digs while Lee had a career-high 14 kills and personal-high 11 digs.
• Russell double-doubled for the first time this season (25 assists, 11 digs). It her fifth double-double of her career.
• Green also reached double-digit in kills (13) hitting a team-high .310.
• Murphy produced a career-high nine kills, with a game and personal-high five blocks in the showdown.
• Freshman Emilia Powderly made her collegiate debut posting three assists. She was one of 12 Crusaders who made their collegiate debuts this weekend.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders return to the court on Friday, September 5 for a single contest with Mercyhurst (0-3) in Erie, Pa. at 6 p.m.

 
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross volleyball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
Twitter - @HCrossVB | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossvb | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Volleyball | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross