WORCESTER, Mass. – The duo of freshman right side
Kat Teepe and sophomore middle blocker
Kyla Harris contributed 14 total blocks as the Holy Cross volleyball team defeated nonconference foe Bryant in straight sets Tuesday evening in the Hart Center Arena.
Teepe posted a career-high eight total blocks with Harris adding a season-high six for the Crusaders (8-11). Teepe also had 10 kills on the offensive end hitting .273 in the match. Holy Cross' offense once again went through sophomore outside hitter
Emma Sorensen who was set 42 times and contributed a match-best 11 kills with seven digs and a career-high matching four aces. Bryant (8-13) was led by Kalia Alvarado's seven kills.
SET SCORES:
Crusaders 3, Bulldogs 0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-22)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A long rally capped off with a Sorensen kill put Holy Cross ahead 5-2 early in the set. Four straight from Bryant gave them a 6-5 short lived lead. Holy Cross responded producing six straight with Harris recording two blocks and Sorensen placing a trio of aces to lead 11-6 as the Bulldogs took a timeout. Teepe smoked back-to-back attack attempts from the right side to increase the Crusader edge to 15-7 at the media timeout. Still trailing by eight, the Bulldogs used a 10-4 burst to drop the margin to two, 22-20. The Crusaders scored the final three points with Teepe notching the ace to win the set.
- Holy Cross produced five straight markers to lead 7-5 in the second set. A sophomore outside hitter KK Green mash from the outside started a mini run of four in a row as the Crusaders built a 15-9 advantage at the media timeout. Back-to-back Bryant miscues improved the Holy Cross lead to 20-13. A Bryant ace brought them within four, 24-20, but Harris and Sorensen blocked an attempt for the 2-0 match lead.
- Five straight from Holy Cross in the third set turned a level 3-3 score to an 8-3 lead thanks to a Green kill. Bryant came within one 13-12 following a kill. A long rally with some elite defense for Holy Cross resulted in a Teepe solo block as they led 15-13 at the media stoppage. Bryant again trimmed the deficit to one, but the Crusaders produced five in a row with junior middle blocker Lacey Murphy and Green posting a block building the score to 21-15. The Bulldogs trimmed the edge all the way down to one 23-22, but a setting error and Sorensen's 11th and final kill completed the sweep.
INSIDE THE BOX:
- Holy Cross beat Bryant for the first time since Sept. 14, 2013 (W, 3-2).
- The Crusaders finished nonconference play with a 7-6 record.
- 11 of sophomore defensive specialist Elizabeth Hall's 20 digs came in the opening set. Hall has double-digit digs in five straight matches and 20+ in three of the last four games.
- Freshman setter Drew Flanagan tallied 30+ assists for the third straight game.
- The Crusaders had a far superior net presence out blocking the Bulldogs 11-to-1.
- Holy Cross is two wins shy of recording their first season with double-digit wins since 2016.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders welcome Patriot League opponent Loyola (Md.) (5-10, 3-3 PL) to campus on Friday, Oct. 9.
- First serve is slated for 6 p.m. in the Hart Center Arena.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross volleyball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
X - @HCrossVB | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossvb | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Volleyball | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross
