WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore outside hitter
Emma Sorensen recorded a career-high 23 kills as the Holy Cross volleyball team lost 3-2 to defending Patriot League Tournament Champion American Friday evening in the Hart Center Arena.
The loss sends the Crusaders to 6-7, 0-1 PL on the year while the Eagles move to 6-4, 1-0 PL.
Sorensen also recorded 11 digs marking her seventh double-double of the season and 14th of her collegiate career. The pin hitter posted a .327 attack percentage in the contest with two aces and two assists. Classmate and fellow outside hitter
KK Green chipped in 14 kills with two total blocks as well.
SET SCORES:
Eagles 3, Crusaders 2 (25-22, 25-17, 22-25, 24-26, 12-15)
HOW IT HAPPENED:Â
- American scored the opening five points on the match to lead 5-0. Holy Cross took a timeout then Green converted a set from junior setter Tuana Ozarpaci from the outside for the opening Crusader point. Back-to-back kills from Sorensen pulled the Crusader within two, 6-4. Freshman right side Kat Teepe kept Holy Cross down two via a block with sophomore middle blocker Kyla Harris and a kill. Behind by four, the Crusaders scored six in a row to lead 13-11 getting a pair of junior defensive specialist Alana Whitwell aces and a Green kill. Holy Cross took a three point 20-17 lead after two Sorensen kills and a Teepe and Harris block. The Crusaders won the set 25-22.
- Freshman setter/right side Keira Mullen dished to Sorensen for her seventh kill of the match to move Holy Cross in the lead at 4-2. Harris helped extend the Crusader edge to 12-9 with another kill from the middle. Green helped improve the teams edge to 14-10 smacking an attack attempt from the outside. Junior middle blocker Lacey Murphy mashed a set in the middle to keep the home squad in the lead by four, 15-11 at the media timeout. American trimmed their deficit to two, 18-16, but the Crusaders countered with five straight to lead 23-16 using two Green kills, a Sorensen ace and a Harris kill. American produced two errors to give Holy Cross the 2-0 match lead.
- The Eagles opened the third set scoring the first five points to lead 5-0. Ozarpaci skipped the set for a kill making it 5-1. American led 7-1 as Holy Cross used their first timeout of the stanza. With the Eagles ahead 11-4, the Crusaders scored the next 10 points to turn the deficit into the lead at 14-11. American finally broke the scoreless stretch before Mullen skipped the set again for a kill as the Crusaders led 15-13 at the media stoppage. After the media timeout, American notched five straight to pull back ahead 18-15. Holy Cross jumped back in the lead producing four straight to take a 19-18 lead. American won the set 25-22.
- The teams traded possessions and points into the fourth set until a minute long rally by Holy Cross with multiple saves by the Crusaders resulted in a Sorensen kill. This was part of six straight Crusader points to up the score to 15-10. American went on an 8-3 burst to tie the score 18-18. Holy Cross notched the next three points as Lacey Murphy and Green combined for a block to lead 21-18. American tied the set 23-23 then Lacey Murphy got a kill to put the Crusaders on the brink of match point. The Eagles tallied the final three points to push the match to a fifth and deciding set.
- In the fifth set, American challenged a call which ended up tying the scoring column 4-4. Green and Lacey Murphy put away the ball to extend the lead to 6-4. Trailing 8-5, the Eagles scored six straight points to take command of the set and clinch the match.
INSIDE THE BOX:
- Sorensen recorded double-digit kills for the 10th time in 2026.
- Sophomore defensive specialist Elizabeth Hall posted 20+ digs for the first time this season.
- As a team, the Crusaders hit .280 in the match, their highest in a league match since Sept. 20, 2025 at Navy.
- Mullen recorded a career-high 21 assists which led the Crusaders in the match.
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders remain at home to take on conference opponent Navy (3-6, 1-0 PL) on Saturday, Sept. 19.
- First serve is slated for 4 p.m. in the Hart Center Arena.
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