Blue Devils Ace Their Way Past Providence

The Central Connecticut State University volleyball team recorded nine aces in the fourth and final set to defeat Providence by a score of 3-1 (27-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-8) at home on Wednesday evening. Four Blue Devils finished with three or more aces in the match, with junior captain Amanda Bayer leading the way with five. Freshman Emily Cochran finished with three aces, while leading CCSU on offense with 15 kills.

After falling to the Friars by a score of 25-23 in the third set, CCSU tallied the first set points of the fourth set behind the service of Bayer, who totaled three aces during the stretch. When Central increased the lead to 10-2 on a kill by freshman Blaike King, junior Kaitlin Petrella then took her turn of service and notched one of her four aces on the night.

After a single point by Friars, CCSU regained service on a kill by sophomore Sara DeLacey. Fellow sophomore Danielle Gasser then served the next eight points to give the Blue Devils an astonishing 19-3 lead. Gasser netted three straight aces to start the Central run. CCSU went on to win the fourth set by a score of 25-8 and put Providence away by the score of 3-1.

The first set of the match was much more competitive as the Blue Devils needed extra points to top Providence 27-25. Cochran and senior captain Jamie Baumert got CCSU off to the good start, each recording four kills in the set.

Set two was similar to the first until Central went on a 9-2 run midway through to take a 23-15 lead on a kill by junior Tori Vaughan. The Friars fought their way back and came within two points at 24-22 when senior Abby Majewski scored off an assist from sophomore Carly Morrison. Majewski's next attack ended the set as Vaughan and DeLacey tallied the block to give CCSU the 25-22 win.

The Blue Devils had control again in the third set, hanging on to an 18-15 lead, but Providence went on a 10-5 run to send the match into the fourth set with a 25-23 third set victory. Baumert and DeLacey kept CCSU in it with two kills and two blocks each in the set.

Baumert was the only other Blue Devil to record double-digit kills in the match, finishing with 10. She also had five digs and three blocks in the victory. DeLacey and Vaughan were the only other blocks for CCSU on the night, tallying six and four, respectively. Petrella led Central with 17 digs, while King finished with 13 and added seven kills. Gasser totaled three aces and seven digs, while Bayer recorded a match-best 38 assists to go along with her five aces and seven digs.

Providence was led by Majewski and sophomore Lauren Fletcher, with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Morrison added nine kills, 28 assists and 10 digs.

Central improves to 11-9 on the season and Providence falls to 10-13. The Blue Devils will next play at home versus St. Francis (NY) on Saturday October 17 at 1:00 p.m.