SELINSGROVE, PA (October 8, 2021) -- It was an exciting first day of action at the 16th annual River Hawk Classic, hosted by the Susquehanna University women's volleyball team in O.W. Houts Gymnasium Friday evening, as the River Hawks powered past Stevens Institute of Technology 3-1. SU knocked off the Ducks 25-16, 16-25, 25-21 and 27-25 in the finale, while York College of Pennsylvania dispatched of the University of Rochester in straight sets in the 5 PM match. 

The win for the River Hawks (12-5) had to feel like a slight bit of revenge, as the Ducks were the team that knocked Susquehanna from the 2019 NCAA Tournament in the regional semifinals. It was also a strong win for SU over a team that came in playing well, having won 14 of its first 16 matches of the season. The match started out great for the hosts, as SU took a 9-4 lead thanks to strong serving from Keira Roach while junior Rosina Esposito had three kills during a 5-0 spurt. Stevens rallied to make it 11-9, but another 5-0 run by the River Hawks pushed the lead up to 16-9. 

Susquehanna would continue to dictate play with strong blocking and a strong service game to pull away for the 25-16 win in the first set. Esposito had five kills in the opening stanza, as the team hit .226, a match-high for SU. The River Hawks also passed well in the first game, allowing no service aces. The second set saw Stevens turn the tables on their opponents, as the Ducks slowly pulled away behind five kills from Cleo Shannon while connecting on a match-best .256 hitting percentage. 

The pivotal third set was close throughout with 17 tie scores and eight lead changes. The final tie score came at 16-16, as Esposito powered down a kill to give the River Hawks the lead for good. The advantage would swell up to as high as four at 22-18 after an ace from Lizze Herestofa, and Riley O'Dowd earned the final two points on blocks to put SU up 2-1. Esposito and O'Dowd each had four kills, and once again Susquehanna was strong in the back allowing no service aces in the set. 

The most exciting set of the match was in the fourth, as Stevens led by as much as six points at 19-13, but that didn't deter the River Hawks. Amanda Gorce would start the run for SU, as the hosts went on a 7-1 spurt to tie the game at 20. An ace by Herestofa put Susquehanna up 21-20, but Stevens responded with four of the next five points to earn two set points. Following a timeout, a back-row attack from Megan Nelson paid off with a kill and Esposito and Kody Dillon blocked a Stevens attack to tie the set at 24. Dillon and Rockey posted another block and two plays later Dillon played the hero with a service ace to clinch the win. 

Esposito finished with 13 kills on the evening to lead the River Hawks, adding nine digs while passing well on her 29 service receptions. Dillon had an all-around strong game with seven kills, two aces and seven assisted blocks, and Herestofa chalked up 25 digs and two aces. Rockey and Roach split setting durties, combining for 30 assists, as the squad hit .153 for the match. Stevens had more kills on the night, but SU held the Ducks to .095 hitting in transition with just a 31 percent kill rate. That included a first-ball transition attack rate of only .047. 

Other Notes

• Elizabeth Chu posted 24 digs for the Ducks, while Shannon finished with a team-best 12 kills. 
• The Ducks had three hitters with 10 digs each, as Parker Adkins, Liz Patterson and Elle Maggio all got into double figures. 
• Nelson and Herestofa combined for 25 service receptions, posting zero reception errors. 
• O'Dowd finished with nine kills and dive total blocks for the River Hawks, finishing third on the squad in points with 12.

Up Next

• Susquehanna finishes action in the River Hawk Classic tomorrow, taking on York College at 11 a.m. and the University of Rochester at 5 p.m. in O.W. Houts Gymnasium.