NORTH ANDOVER, MA – In a battle of the two remaining
undefeated teams in the conference, the University of New Haven
edged the Warriors 3-1 at the Volpe Gym Tuesday night.
Game scores were 27-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-23.
The first game was close throughout, with tie scores at 12, 15, 18,
24 and 25, after a kill from Molly Cindric. But
the Chargers closed out the game 27-25, behind a block from
Elizabeth Akinbiyi and a kill from Charisse Cotton.
In the second, the Warriors led 22-21 after a kill from Ale
Kuncaitis, but New Haven registered the final four points,
led by two kills from Brittani Cotton.
Merrimack controlled the third, leading throughout, and won its
first game behind a game-winning kill from Kristin
Applegate. Megan Murray, who was
outstanding all night, tallied three kills in the third, while
Cindric added three kills and five digs.
In the fourth, the Warriors led 18-17 after an ace from Murray, but
the Chargers rallied for five straight points and seven of the next
eight to take a 24-19 lead. The Warriors did not quit, rallying for
four unanswered points, capped off with a block from Applegate, but
after a lengthy rally at 24-23, New Haven closed the match out with
a kill from Brittani Cotton.
Murray posted a team-high 14 kills and added three aces, while
hitting .500. Kuncaitis tallied a double-double on 14 digs and 12
kills, while Cindric added seven kills and nine digs. Elyse
Lorenz chipped in with 41 assists and eight digs, while
Applegate had nine kills and five digs. Merrimack hit .162 overall,
with a game-high .281 in the third.
The Cotton sisters combined for 29 kills, with Brittani getting 13
of them while adding 21 digs. Yael Rosner tallied 46 assists, 10
digs and six kills, while Elizabeth Akinbiyi added eight blocking
assists.
The loss snapped Merrimack’s school-record of 11 straight
conference wins and snapped its 12 straight home conference match
winning streak.
New Haven is ranked first in the east regional rankings, and
Merrimack is fifth. The top eight teams advance to the
NCAA Tournament.
Merrimack (16-8, 11-1 NE-10) heads to Saint Rose on Friday for a 7
p.m. match and Le Moyne on Saturday for a 12 p.m. match. The
Northeast-10 Tournament, hosted by Pace University begins on
November 14th.