Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State University volleyball team (19-7, 4-3 NJAC) battled in another exciting matchup in NJAC play but were on the wrong side of a five-set thriller as RV Rowan (23-2, 7-0 NJAC) outlasted the Red Hawks, 3-2 on Tuesday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Following the Profs jumping out to a 3-2 edge, ISABELLE HAWKINSON threw down a kill that ignited a 9-1 run that pushed Montclair out in front 11-4. A 7-1 counter run by Rowan cut the lead to 12-11 before LILY THOMAS halted the run. The two teams traded blows with Montclair holding a three-point cushion for most of it. At 22-19, Montclair, Rowan flipped the set on its heels, capping a 6-1 run with a service ace to steal a 25-23 set-one win.
- Hawkinson played a big part in Montclair getting out in front, 7-5, by hammering down three kills. A pair of kills from the Profs tied the match, but BRYN BAUTISTA answered back with a kill to spark a 7-1 run for a 14-8 lead. Rowan fought back once again, scoring six unanswered to tie the match. Both teams exchanged four unanswered points before a kill from BREANNA CRAIG and two service aces from KASEY TRZASKA pushed Montclair out in front, 22-18. The two teams went back-and-forth the rest of the way, and Bautista put down the final kill of the set to take a 25-21 set two.
- The Red Hawks continued their momentum in the third. Craig was at the forefront of a dominant start, recording kills in Montclair's 13-3 start. The Profs cut into the lead with a 5-1 run, but kills from Bautista, SOFIA DIPROFIO, and Thomas kept a comfortable distance for the Red Hawks at 17-8. Montclair never let Rowan gain any traction, and at a score of 22-16, the Red Hawks capped off the set with the final three points to take a 25-16 win in set three, which was Rowan's lowest set total of the season.
- Kills from Hawkinson and DiProfio got the set going for the Red Hawks, but Rowan was able to control the early portion of set four, jumping out in front 10-7. Another kill from Bautista swung the pendulum back in Montclair's favor with an 8-1 run that gave them a 15-11 advantage. Montclair tried to put away Rowan, but they were able to chip away at the lead a few points at a time. At a score of 22-21, Montclair, DiProfio had a kill and teamed with Thomas on a block to set up a match-point opportunity. Rowan dug deep, however, and used a 6-1 swing to seize set four, 27-25 and force a deciding set five.
- Montclair looked as if they were able to regain momentum, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. Rowan clawed back and was able to tie the match 7-7. The two teams worked their way up to a 10-10 before Rowan took control, finishing of the match with a 5-1 run to come away with a 15-11 win in set five and clinch the match.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Bautista was once again at the epicenter of production for the Red Hawks, leading the team with 19 kills and tallying 21 digs. It was her 11th double-double of the season and her second match this season with 20+ digs.
- Whitehead tallied 26 digs and had three assists and two service aces. She currently leads the NJAC with 160 digs during conference play.
- Hawkinson posted a career-high 15 kills in the match while also totaling three digs and an assist. DiProfio (11) and Craig (10) rounded out the list of Red Hawks with double-digit kills.
- LUCY CORNELIUS nabbed her own version of a double-double, dishing out 50 assists and tallying 10 digs. It was her third match this season with 50+ assists and her seventh with double-digit kills.
FROM THE COURT
- "Proud of our effort tonight. I thought we played a solid game as the stats show. I have to commend Rowan for the way they battled back. Unfortunately, we made mistakes at crucial times that put us in difficult situations to overcome. We had many opportunities to win this match but failed to execute when we needed to. This will serve as a learning opportunity for our team heading into the post season. I look forward to seeing how we respond against a strong Merchant Marine squad." Head Coach Eduardo Stawinski
UP NEXT
- Montclair will play host to Merchant Marine on Friday, October 30. The non-conference slate is set for a 7:00 p.m. first serve.
