CAMBRIDGE, MA (November 12, 2021) -- The Susquehanna University volleyball team hit a season-high .398 Friday afternoon against Maine Maritime Academy in the NCAA Tournament First Round, racing by the Mariners in three sets with scores of 25-14, 25-11 and 25-16. 

With the win, Susquehanna (23-6) picked up its second NCAA Tournament victory in program history and has advanced to tomorrow's regional semifinal match. The River Hawks, an at-large selection out of the Landmark Conference, will await the winner of Bowdoin College/Johnson & Wales (RI) for their second round contest scheduled for 1:30 pm on Saturday, November 13.  
 
Maine Maritime, who made its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and claimed the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championship title for the fifth consecutive year this fall sees its season come to a close with a record of 19-7. 
 
The River Hawks, who made their third appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament today, and played Maine Maritime for the first time in program history this afternoon hit .398 as a team and were led by Rosina Esposito who hit .552 on the day with a match-high 18 kills. Senior Riley O'Dowd hit .412 with eight kills, while Kody Dillon hit. 214 with six kills for Susquehanna.

Defensively, the River Hawks were guided by Lizzie Herestofa who tallied a match-high 17 digs and Amanda Gore, who posted three solo blocks, for a team that leads NCAA Division III in blocks per set at 2.55. Herestofa also eclipsed the 2000 dig plateau in the second set, becoming the third player in program history to get to the mark. 


 
Maine Maritime's offense was guided by Rachel Melampy, who hit .233 with a team-high 11 kills, while defensively the Mariners were led by Sydney Rich, who registered a match-high 15 digs in today's NCAA first round matchup. 
 
Susquehanna hit .385 and led from start to finish in the opening set of today's contest. The early portion of the first stanza was played back and forth as the River Hawks held an early 7-5 edge. Susquehanna went on a 10-4 run which was highlighted by two kills from both Gore and O'Dowd for the 17-9 advantage. Maine Maritime pulled as close as six points (19-13) after an ace, but Susquehanna ended the set with a 6-1 spurt to take it 25-14. 
 
In the second set, the River Hawks hit a match high .448 with 16 kills on 29 swings en route to the 25-11 win. Both teams traded points as the set was knotted at 5-5 early on, but Susquehanna went on a 9-3 run to extend its lead to five points at 14-8 following a kill by Esposito and an error by the Mariners. Up 18-9, the River Hawks scored seven of the final eight points of the set which included back to back aces by Esposito for the 2-0 lead in the opening round contest. 
 
The third set featured eight ties before Susquehanna pulled away for the sweep. The River Hawks took the lead for good at 8-7 following a kill by Brooke LaCesa and proceeded to score 12 of the next 15 points for the 20-10 lead. Swings by Ryan Rorls and O'Dowd clinched the three set sweep and the first round win for Susquehanna. 
 
As a team, Susquehanna statistically led in kills (42-21), assists (36-20), aces (11-4), digs (42-37) and solo blocks (6-0). 

Up Next 

• Susquehanna will play either Bowdoin College or Johnson & Wales University in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 pm on the campus of MIT. 

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