Garden City, N.Y. - The Adelphi University women's volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to the visiting Skyhawks of Stonehill College on Friday night at the Center for Recreation and Sports. The Panthers (13-11, 10-2 NE-10) dropped the opening two sets before rallying to take the third, but the Skyhawks (18-5, 9-2 NE-10) came away with the victory.
Haley Blunt led the Panthers on both sides of the ball, recording a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs;
Mandy Stanislovaitis,
Shelby Stoner and
Samantha Breidenbach all recorded eight finishers, while Megan Manieski posted 28 assists.
Sierra Crook also had a hand in the Panther defense, posting 13 digs.
The Skyhawks were led by Mary-Kate Catton and Delia Phillips, who posted 17 and 13 kills respectively. Phillips also tallied a double-double with 17 digs.
The first set was all Stonehill, as the visitors sprinted out to a 12-1 lead and never looked back. The Skyhawks hit .345 as a team and hammered home 15 kills to keep the Panthers without a chance. Adelphi trailed 22-10 before claiming five of the next seven points to pull within 24-15, but a kill from Delia Phillips sealed the first set for Stonehill, 25-15.
The Panthers got off to a strong start in the second frame, taking a 10-5 lead behind three kills total from Blunt and Stoner. The Skyhawks hit back, knotting the score at 13 and 15, before taking an 18-16 lead on an ace from Kelsey Weymouth. The Panthers would never reclaim the advantage as Stonehill expanded their late lead to four at 21-17, before eventually taking the set 25-22.
The Panthers led wire-to-wire in the first set, hitting .433 behind 14 kills and just one attack error. The Skyhawks closed a 10-point deficit to six at 16-10, but after a timeout, the Panthers won seven consecutive points en route to a 25-11 third set win.
The Skyhawks took an early lead in the fourth frame, eventually taking a four-point lead at 15-11 behind a kill from Weymouth. Adelphi took four straight to knot the set at 15-15, before the Skyhawks responded with a eight-point streak that saw them build on their largest lead of the set at 23-15. The Panthers took three straight points, but the Skyhawks would not be denied and claimed the final two points for the 25-18 set, and 3-1 match, win.
The Panthers return to action tomorrow, Saturday November 1, when they host the Falcons of Bentley University in a 1:00 pm NE-10 match.
