Cougars snap Seahawks streak

THE BASICS
 
-Score: Clark University 3, Salve Regina 1
-Records: Clark University (18-9), Salve Regina (15-11)
-Location: Worcester, Mass. (Kneller Athletic Center)
-The Lead: The Clark University women's volleyball team fought to a 3-1 non-conference victory over the Seahawks of Salve Regina University on Thursday evening. Prior to the match Clark recognized five seniors playing in their last regular season home game: Jacqueline Jimenez-Maldonado (San Francisco, Calif.), Heather Todoroff (Louiville, Ky.), Madi Garrity (Duxbury, Mass.), Marina Ramos (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) and Izzy Shishko (Newton, Mass.).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Set One: Clark 25 - Salve Regina 22
 
-The Cougars took the first lead of the set on a kill from Jimenez-Maldonado. Salve's Annie Donahue (Chelmsford, Mass.) added a kill to tie it up and a kill from Nora Donahue (Braintree, Mass.) gave the visitors their first and only lead of the set (4-3).
-A 3-0 rally from Clark that included a kill from Kendra Campbell (North Kingstown, R.I), a service ace from Ramos and a kill from Ana Mercado (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) gave the Cougars a 6-4 lead.
-Salve Regina was able to tie it at six apiece on a second kill from Nora Donahue but Clark responded with a 4-0 run to regain the lead, 10-6.
-The Cougars took their largest lead of the set after two kills from Ramos and a kill from Jimenez-Maldonado sparked a 4-0 run for the seven point lead (21-13).
-The Seahawks came crawling back late in the set with a 9-2 run where Cassidy Trabilcy (Phoenix, Ariz.) posted two kills while Nora Donahue added an ace and Annie Donahue posted a kill to bring them within just one point of the home team (23-22).
-Clark called a timeout and returned from the break with two powerful kills from Ramos to close the set 25-23 for the 1-0 lead on the night.
 
Set Two: Clark 25 – Salve Regina 16
 
-The Cougars never trailed in the second set and only allowed the Seahawks to tie it up twice in the early stages.
-Ramos tallied three early kills for Clark while junior Kacey Legare (Chicopee, Mass.) added a point to give the home team an early 6-1 lead. Kills from Kendall Wilcox (Pomfret, Conn.) and Annie Donahue would bring the visitors within three (7-4) but that is as close as Clark would let them get.
-A late 4-0 rally including three kills in a row from Mercado gave the Cougars a significant 10 point lead. Another kill from Mercado and an error on the visitors would close the set at 25-16 and give Clark the 2-0 lead heading into the third set.
 
Set Three: Salve Regina 25 - Clark 21
 
-Salve Regina came out strong in set three of the night with a 3-0 run right off the bat. Trabilcy highlighted the run with a kill for the 3-0 lead.
-The Cougars hopped on the board from a Seahawk serving error but a kill from senior Tara Kellenbarger (Encinitas, Calif.) and an error from Clark extended the visitor's lead to 5-1 early in the set.
-The Seahawks held on to a five point lead for the next few points but a 4-0 rally from the home team that included a kill from Ramos brought the Cougars back within just one point (13-12).
-Clark was able to tie the score at 15-15 on back to back kills from Ramos and Garrity. Salve Regina responded with a 4-0 run and kills from Samantha Salwa (Elington, Conn.) and Andee Bender (Lebanon, Conn.) extended their lead to 19-15 and forced Clark to call a timeout.
-Garrity posted an ace to bring the home team within two points (19-17) but the Seahawks put up three points in a row to go up 24-19. The Cougars came close to regaining the lead with kills from Ramos and Legare (24-21), but the Seahawks held on for the set point from an Annie Donahue kill and the 25-21 victory to force a fourth set.
 
Set Four: Clark 25 – Salve Regina 13
 
-Clark took the first lead of the game (3-0), but the Seahawks went on a 7-1 run to take a 9-6 lead that forced an early timeout called by the Cougars.
-Clark came out of the timeout fired up and went on a quick 6-0 run. Mercado, Ramos and Sophia Torino (Los Angeles, Calif) all notched kills to give the Cougars a 12-9 lead.
-A 9-0 rally from the Cougars put the game out of reach for the Seahawks as the home team took a 21-10 lead. Legare posted a kill while Jimenez-Maldonado and Mercado recorded two kills each in the run. Annie Donahue notched the last Seahawk point but Ramos tallied the final kill of the set for the 25-13 edge and ultimate 3-1 victory on the night for Clark.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 
-Ramos led the Cougars with 22 kills to go along with 17 digs in the victory. Jimenez-Maldonado and Mercado posted 14 and 12 kills respectively.
-Clark's Rayme Quiban (Seattle, Wash.) led all players with 26 digs on the night while Torino posted a game-high 42 assists.
-Annie Donahue led the Seahawks with 12 kills and Salwa posted 23 helpers to top the visitors. Freshman, Kathryn Linekin (Ridgefield, Conn) posted a team high 22 digs in the loss for Salve Regina.
 
UP NEXT
 
-Clark will compete in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Quarterfinals on Saturday, November 4. The time, date, location and opponent is still to be determined.
-Salve Regina hosts the University of New England in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action on Saturday, October 28 at 1:00 p.m.