Volleyball Aces Test Against Mercyhurst on Friday

The Central Connecticut volleyball team took an important four-set win over Mercyhurst on Friday night in NEC action. The Blue Devils had a program-record 19 aces, while Olivia Keckler and Aubrey Stitcher led the way with 13 kills each. The win edged CCSU ahead of Mercyhurst in the NEC standings by one game.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:  CCSU 3, MERCYHURST 1 (25-19, 25-23, 18-25, 25-17)
Records: CCSU (7-16, 6-5 NEC), Mercyhurst (7-17, 5-6 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• The Blue Devils trailed 7-5 in the opening set before a kill by Keckler sparked three straight points, capped off by a block by Keckler and Amanda Tokam. CCSU would take the lead for good at 9-8 after a kill by Stitcher. Mercyhurst cut the deficit to 14-13, but Central came back with six straight points before closing the set on a Lakers' error.
• Mercyhurst jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set and was ahead 10-4 before a CCSU timeout. The Blue Devils responded with four straight points to force a Mercyhurst timeout and eventually went ahead, 12-11, for its first lead. Back-to-back aces by Annabelle Denommé made it 16-15. The Lakers temporarily led, 22-21, but two kills by Stitcher put CCSU in the lead before another Stitcher kill won the set.
• Mercyhurst led throughout the third set, with CCSU getting within, 12-11, before three straight points padded its lead. The Lakers extended the match following three straight kills by Roslyn Guerra.
• Central broke a 10-10 tie with five straight points, capped off with two straight aces by Breanna Ginley. The Blue Devils would lead the rest of the way and kills by Ginley and Keckler, followed by a block by the duo would close the match.

NUMBER TO KNOW

19 – The Blue Devils set a single-match program record with 19 service aces. The previous mark was 16 on Sept. 9, 2011, vs. Saint Peter's.

NOTES

• Denommé had seven aces – tied for the third-best single-match total in program history. She added a match-high 18 digs.
• Keckler added three aces and three blocks, while hitting .286.
• Stitcher hit .440 in the match to pace CCSU.
• Ginley had seven kills, five blocks and four aces.
• Anja Milosevic had 39 assists.
• The Blue Devils are 2-1 against the Lakers all-time in the NEC.

NEXT UP

• The teams meet again on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

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