Garden City, N.Y. - Coming down to extra points in the final set,
Isabella Assaley delivered a pair of service aces that secured the Adelphi University volleyball team's five-set decision on Tuesday evening, over Southern Connecticut State University.
Series History:
- Tuesday's game marked the second meeting between the two teams this season, as the Owls (12-5, 3-1 NE10) swept Adelphi on Sept. 25 in non-conference action.
- Adelphi is 22-4 all-time against Southern Connecticut, dating back to the 2002 season.
Highlights:
- Melana Bigelow and Morgan Meyer both accounted for 16, with the former finishing off the double-double with 16 digs as well.
- Madeleine Chaapel also found herself in double-digits, adding a pair of block assists.
- Four different players added two service aces in Adelphi's commanding 10-5 advantage in the statistic - including a pair from Assaley in the fifth.
- Alongside pacing the offense with 35 assists, Ana Carolina Westerich added 11 digs, as did Ada Isik.
How It Happened:
- Adelphi (10-9, 2-1 NE10) managed to lead after the opening two sets, albeit narrow decisions.
- Southern Connecticut came back fighting and took the next two sets by identical 25-16 scores to knot the game at 2-2, forcing a fifth set.
- Outside the opening point, the final frame opened with five consecutive service errors, making it a back-and-forth affair at the start.
- SCSU held a 7-4 advantage, but Adelphi was able to respond. A Chaapel kill, followed by a Bigelow service ace, helped the Panthers close within one at 8-7. From there, the pressure intensified.
- The teams exchanged points until the score was tied at 10-10. Meyer then gave Adelphi an 11-10 advantage with a kill, only for SCSU to answer. The Owls reclaimed a 14-13 lead, putting Adelphi one point away from defeat. That's when the Panthers delivered their biggest sequence of the night.
- SCSU committed a service error to tie the set at 14-14, giving Adelphi an opening. Assaley stepped to the service line and immediately took advantage, recording back-to-back service aces to push the Panthers ahead 16-14 and complete the comeback.
Up Next:
- The Panthers will host Saint Michael's College on Friday Oct. 9 and dedicate the game to Morgan's Message, raising awareness for student-athlete mental health. The game comes one day before World Mental Health Day, and Adelphi's Morgan's Message chapter will be at the game to celebrate.
