Salve Regina improves to 25-3

BOSTON, Mass. - The Salve Regina University women's volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-20) decision against Emmanuel College Thursday evening in non-conference action in the Jean Yawkey Center Gymnasium. With the victory, the Seahawks improve to 25-3 on the year while the loss drops the Saints to 20-12 overall.

The Seahawks jumped out to the early lead in the opening set and pushed it to 11-6 following a service ace by senior outside hitter Clare Adams (New Concord, Ohio). EC was able to regroup and even the set at 12-12 following a Salve attacking error but they gave the ball right back with a service error of their own to put the visitors back on top for good. Junior outside hitter Jennifer Duggan (Merrimack, N.H.) put home four kills in the set while swinging at a .429 clip. EC freshman middle hitter Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) paced the Emmanuel offense with three kills and a .600 hitting percentage in the first set.

The second set featured more back and forth action with the Saints controlling play early on. A kill from junior Sarah Colby (West Barnstable, Mass.) gave the hosts a 10-8 cushion but the Seahawks answered with a 6-0 run capped by an ace from junior setter Taylor Violet (Tiverton, R.I.) to make it 14-10 in favor of SRU. The Saints rallied and once again pulled even at 21-all with a smash from sophomore outside hitter Danielle Rose (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) but two consecutive errors put the Seahawks in the driver's seat to close out the set by a 25-23 margin.

In the final set, EC again would hold an early lead before Salve Regina settled in to sweep the match. A kill from freshman outside hitter Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) put Emmanuel on top, 14-12 but four straight points by the Seahawks would put the visitors ahead to stay. Duggan led the way for Salve with five kills in the set while Atkinson tallied four kills in for the Saints.

On the match, Duggan and senior middle hitter Jill Diffendaffer (Centennial, Colo.) each registered 11 kills while Violet dished out a match-high 32 assists to go along with 10 digs. Adams had a solid all-around effort with 13 digs and eight kills while junior libero Dianna Tauro (Melrose, Mass.) added 10 digs.

For Emmanuel, Atkinson finished with a team-high eight kills followed by Chruscielski's s seven. Sophomore setter Shannon Dudley (Morro Bay, Calif.) picked up 25 assists and 12 digs while junior libero Cara Callahan (Medway, Mass.) tallied 13 digs.

The Saints will close out their regular season schedule on Saturday when they head to Willimantic, Conn. to take on Eastern Connecticut State University at noon for a non-conference tilt. The match was the final of the regular-season for the Seahawks who will begin conference tournament play next week.