Box Score
RADNOR, Pa. – The Cabrini College volleyball team dropped its first CSAC match of the season tonight, falling to Neumann University 3-2. The loss drops the Cavaliers to 13-5 overall and 6-1 in the CSAC.
The loss also snaps the Blue and White's 11 match win streak and marks its first loss to a conference opponent since October 26, 2010, a span of 17 league matches. That last loss, also at home to Neumann by a score of 3-2, snapped a 22 match win streak against league competition.
The Knights jumped out to an early 7-3 lead in the first set and never looked back. Cabrini battled back to tie the score at 10 but six consecutive Neumann points created an insurmountable lead, as Neumann took the first set 25-17.
Cabrini rebounded in a second set that was played extremely close. The set was tied at 10 when the Cavaliers began to take control of the set. The Blue and White forced four Neumann attack errors to take a 16-12 lead. The Knights got as close as 19-17 but back-to-back kills by senior
Danielle Carrozza gave Cabrini a four point cushion they carried to a 25-21 victory in set number two.
The third set played much like the second, both teams stayed even early. Consecutive kills by Carrozza and freshman
Jen Grenauer gave the Cavaliers an 11-7 lead midway through the set. Neither team could capture the momentum as the teams stayed within two points of each other until Cabrini seized control. With the score tied at 17, Carrozza stepped to the service line and led the Cavaliers to three consecutive points and a 21-18 lead. A pair of kills by junior
Michele Fitz, and one each from Grenauer and senior
Meg Ryan iced the 25-19 win.
The clubs traded points in the early going of the fourth set until a short Neumann run extended its lead to 12-8 and the Cavaliers could never rebound. Through the rest of the set, the Blue and White offered consecutive serves only twice, allowing Neumann to control the set, ultimately taking it 25-18 to force a fifth and deciding set.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead and maintained through the middle of the set. As the teams switched sides, the Blue and White controlled the momentum and the scoreboard, leading 8-4. Neumann senior Victoria Lummina got the Knights back into the game, collecting three consecutive points from the service line, cutting Cabrini's lead to 10-9. The teams exchanged kills to tie the score at 12. Neumann senior Natalie George gave the Knights a 14-12 lead from the service line before sophomore Kelsey D'Imperio's spike ended the match.
Carrozza and freshman
Cassidy Koenig posted double-doubles in the loss. Carrozza recorded her fourth with 16 kills and 14 digs, while Cassidy's fifth included 38 assists and 14 digs. Ryan and Grenauer combined for 21 kills on the night, while junior
Sophia Sokolovich led the club with 20 digs.
Neumann junior Katelin Kuklentz led the Knights (12-7, 6-0 CSAC) with 23 kills, while George and D'Imperio added 17 and 10, respectively.
The Cavaliers will look to start another win streak on Thursday as they travel to Gwynedd-Mercy College. The CSAC match is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
