BALTIMORE, MD - The Susquehanna University women's volleyball team began a loaded weekend Friday night with the first of their three-match stay at Johns Hopkins' Greg "Gio" Giovanazzi Memorial Tournament against Marymount, winning a dramatic five-setter to up their record to 4-3 going into tomorrow's two-match set. Susquehanna is now 3-0 in five-set matches so far this season.
With matchups looming Saturday against nationally-ranked host JHU and Ithaca, the River Hawks looked to get their motor going against the Saints, starting off with a 25-22 win in set one. Marymount, however, moved into position to win the match by taking the next two sets 25-23 and 25-21. Susquehanna delivered back the largest margin of victory on the night, 25-18, in game four to force a dramatic fifth set. Once again Marymount put the River Hawks in check with a 12-7 lead in the deciding set. An attack error gave the service control back to the River Hawks, who reeled off five straight points on the steady serving of
Jessica Sack. The Saints retorted with a point to tie things up at 13-13, only for Susquehanna to call match with kills from
Emily Kowalski and
Amanda Gore.
The River Hawks administered 57 kills with just 25 errors for a .177 attack percentage; the Saints kept pace with 56 kills and 31 errors for a .139 percentage. Susquehanna carried two sets with over a .250 attack percentage, with its best a .257 percentage in set one with 14 kills and five errors, then .255 in set four with 15 kills and three errors. Kowalski led the contest with 23 kills, while adding four blocks, including one solo. The team also benefited from seven service aces, led by three from setter
Keira Roach, who charted 49 assists on the night. Sack added a pair of aces to go with her match-leading 30 digs. Gore led with five blocks, while adding eight kills and one service ace.
Ryan Rorls posted nine kills and 16 digs, while
Brie Livezey also added nine kills.
Susquehanna moves on to play 19th-ranked Ithaca Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by host and third-ranked JHU at 12:30 p.m.
