WORCESTER, Mass. – Sophomore outside hitter
KK Green had a team-high 13 kills to go with 10 digs as the Holy Cross volleyball team upended nonconference foe Marist 3-1 Tuesday evening during the Crusaders' home opener in the Hart Center Arena.
The win, the 250th in head coach
Matthew Cribbin's career, moves Holy Cross to 3-5 on the year while the Red Foxes fall to 1-6.
Freshman right side
Sarahya College hit .267 and posted a career-high 12 kills with four digs and three total blocks in the match. Sophomore outside hitter
Emma Sorensen joined Green and College in double-digits with 11 kills.
SET SCORES:
Crusaders 3, Red Foxes 1 (25-17, 15-25, 26-24, 25-16)
HOW IT HAPPENED:Â
- Holy Cross led 8-1 early in the first set when junior setter Tuana Ozarpaci blocked an attempt at the right pin. She continued her strong stretch in the first set with an ace and a pair of kills to improve the lead to 13-4 Crusaders. Junior middle blocker Lacey Murphy and Ozarpaci combined for a block opening up a 10 point, 18-8 lead. Junior defensive specialist Alana Whitwell placed an ace to build the lead to 22-10. The Red Foxes notched six points in a row to cut the deficit in half, 22-16. College and sophomore middle blocker Isa Glover blocked an attack attempt as the Crusaders captured the first set.
- Marist began the second set on a 7-1 burst to take an early lead. A Murphy ace put her team behind by four, 10-6. Marist hung five straight points to climb ahead by nine, 15-6 at the media timeout. They eventually won the set 25-15.
- Back-to-back kills from freshman right side Kat Teepe moved the Crusaders in the lead at 6-4 in the third set. Holy Cross rallied to take the lead on the strength of three in a row off the swing of Green and College with a College block making it 10-6. The Red Foxes took a timeout and the lead, 13-12 off an 8-2 scoring spurt. Holy Cross regained the lead 21-17 off a freshman middle blocker Nora Benjamins block and Green kill. Marist scored four straight to tie the set 21-21. Marist was on the verge of taking a 2-1 match lead at 24-23, but the Crusaders produced the final three points getting a Sorensen kill, Lacey Murphy block and a Marist attack error.
- In the fourth set, the Crusaders doubled up Marist 12-6 after a Benjamins kill. College and Benjamins combined for another block and Sorensen converted a kill upping the lead to 16-7. Marist trimmed the deficit to five, 20-15 getting a block at the right pin. They could only muster one more point as the Crusaders won the match.
INSIDE THE BOX:
- Ozarpaci set a career-high with seven kills off 11 attack attempts hitting .636. She also dished out 25 assists.
- Sophomore defensive specialist Elizabeth Hall posted a season-best 17 digs, which also was a match high.
- Green has double-doubled in two straight matches.
- This is the second straight season the Crusaders have won their home opener.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders head out on the road to the Friar Volleyball Classic this coming Friday and Saturday hosted by Providence.
- Holy Cross will battle Stonehill (2-6) on Friday, September 11 at 4:30 p.m.
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