Volleyball Unable to Hold Off SHU, Falls in Five Sets

The Central Connecticut volleyball team fell to Sacred Heart in five sets in its home-opener on Tuesday. The Blue Devils combined for 50 kills and 10 aces as a team, but were unable to hold off the Pioneers.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:  CCSU 2, SACRED HEART 3 (16-25, 14-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-9)
Records: CCSU (1-9), SHU (3-7)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• CCSU trailed 9-6 in the opening set before going on a 10-1 run to take a commanding lead. Anja Milosevic would serve seven straight points and a block by Breanna Ginley and Olivia Keckler gave Central a 16-10 lead. The Blue Devils would not allow the Pioneers to get closer and a kill by Weronika Poczynek closed out the set.
• Milosevic and Ginley teamed up for a block to open the second set as SHU committed five straight attack errors and CCSU built a 5-0 lead. Central would not trail in the frame and closed the set by outscoring SHU, 6-2, and took a 2-0 lead on a kill by Milosevic.
• CCSU took a 4-3 lead on a kill by Keckler in the third set, but SHU responded with five straight points. The Blue Devils would eventually regain a lead at 22-20 after a kill by Poczynek. The Pioneers rallied with five straight points to extend the match.
• A run of six straight points would put the Pioneers ahead, 7-3, in the fourth set. CCSU would call a timeout to regroup and eventually got within, 13-9, after back-to-back aces by Gabriella Burdier. The Pioneers would maintain the lead and outscored CCSU, 8-3, to tie the match.
• In the decisive fifth set, SHU scored four straight to go out to a 4-1 lead. CCSU would rally and back-to-back kills by Keckler would make it 5-5. SHU broke a 8-8 tie with four straight points, forcing a pair of Central timeouts. The Blue Devils broke the run with a kill before SHU scored the final three points of the match.

NUMBER TO KNOW

13 – CCSU had a season-high 13 blocks.

NOTES

• Milosevic posted her second straight double-double with 43 assists and 13 digs. She added two kills, an ace and five blocks.
• Poczynek led the Blue Devils with 17 kills.
• Ginley had a match-high 10 blocks. She added three kills.
• Keckler finished with 14 kills and six blocks.
• Central is 25-28 against Sacred Heart in Division I play.

NEXT UP

• CCSU hosts Fairfield on Friday night at 6:00 p.m.

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