Box Score 1 Nazareth/Elmira Box Score

Tournament Homepage

HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 9, 2013) – The top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team swept No. 4 Ithaca College in an Empire 8 Conference Semifinal match in Canavan Arena on Saturday afternoon to advance to the championship contest tomorrow at 12 p.m.

The Ducks will play No. 2 Nazareth College in tomorrow's final after Nazareth swept Elmira College in the second semifinal match. Tomorrow's championship showdown can be seen via webcast on Empire8.tv and live stats.

Stevens (27-6) took down Ithaca (16-22), 25-16, 25-20, 25-12, in a match that took just over one hour to complete.

In the first set, neither team performed well offensively - Stevens (.077 hitting percentage), Ithaca (.000) - but the Ducks used six service aces to seize control of the set. Both squads posted seven kills apiece in the opening game.

Senior Samantha Gates (Wilmington, N.C.) recorded all four of her aces in the opening set and dished out six of her 30 assists in the 25-16 win.

The Ducks stepped up offensively in the second set with a .517 hitting percentage on 17 kills in 29 attempts with two errors. Freshman Mary Tobin (Boothwyn, Pa.) put down six kills in the set, while junior Katie Hall (Midlothian, Va.) recorded three.

Tobin finished the contest with a match-best 10 kills to go along with nine digs. Hall hit .556 (six kills on nine swings) with five blocks, four digs and two aces.

In the clincher, there was only one tie early in the set at 7-7, and from there, Stevens ran away with the game on an 18-5 run. Stevens hit at a .360 clip in the set and finished the match overall at .325, compared to .000 for the Bombers.

Sophomore Annemarie Thomas (Durham, N.C.) took 11 swings with six kills for a .545 hitting percentage to go along with two blocks. Freshman Christina Sciarra (Montclair, N.J.) finished with seven kills, a .357 hitting percentage and three blocks.

Senior Mary Caulson (West Islip, NY.) played an all-around productive match with five kills, six digs, three blocks, two assists and one ace. Junior Kirsten Salmins (Wyckoff, N.J.) was the only player in the match to eclipse double-digit digs with 13.

As a team, Stevens registered nine aces and eight blocks (12 assists, two solo) and committed just 11 attack errors.

Nazareth 3, Elmira 0

In the No. 2/3 matchup of the tournament, the Golden Flyers took down Elmira in straight sets, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20. Nazareth's Jennifer Hicks tied a match-high with 11 kills and hit an impressive .714 overall.

Kassandra Buseck and Maria Allocco each tallied seven kills for the Golden Flyers, while Chelsea Beecher and Olivia Harrigan contributed six each. Harrigan also chipped in three aces.

Naz's Madi Wickens handed out 29 assists and Maureen Thayer posted 19 digs with three aces.

The Golden Flyers hit .344 as a team and scored on 10 aces.

For Elmira, Taryn Rumsey led the way with 11 kills and Sami Hanes dished out 28 helpers with three aces. Kiersten Derr put down eight kills, while Alicia Day and Ashley Heiman added five kills apiece. Catherine Miller paced the Soaring Eagles with 12 digs.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks