ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The University of New Haven volleyball team split its season opening matches on the first day of the Eckerd Invitational defeating Kentucky State 3-0 before falling to Eckerd in straight sets in the nightcap.

HIGHLIGHTS VS. KENTUCKY STATE

·         The Chargers hitters suffered just seven combined errors over the three sets against Kentucky State, closing out the matching hitting .299 with 36 total kills in 97 attempts.

·         Individually, New Haven was led by junior captain Alex Bussey (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) who finished with nine kills. The middle blocker finished without an error while taking 23 total attempts for a .391 average.

·         Joining Bussey in leading the offense was sophomore setter Kristine Rios (Miami, Fla./Coral Reef) who finished with eight kills and one error in 14 attempts for a .500 hitting average. Rios also led the Chargers with 17 assists and was among the defensive leaders with 10 digs.

·         Freshman outside hitter Mallory Nowicki (Grand Rapids, Mich./Northview) had an impressive showing for her first match wearing Blue and Gold as she finished with seven kills and a .222 hitting average.

·         Defensively, the Chargers were led by freshman Charleigh Crews (Naples, Fla./Seacrest Country Day) who collected 14 digs.

·         Bussey also led New Haven on the block as she combined for eight total blocks, including a pair of solo put backs.

·         In addition to Bussey finishing without a hitting error, two additional Chargers also went errorless. Senior captain Annika Hacker (Bayreuth, Germany/Littleton (Colo.)) finished with a pair of kills in three attempts without an error, while also adding nine assists. Freshman Fernanda da Silva (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Colegio Berlaar Sao Pascoal) finished her first match for the Chargers with four kills in five attempts without an error.

·         As a team, the Chargers combined for six service aces with Crews and Hacker each leading the way with two apiece.

HIGHLIGHTS VS. ECKERD

·         Leading the Blue and Gold in the nightcap was senior outside hitter Meghan Kennelly (Detroit, Mich./Eisenhower) who finished with eight kills and a .167 hitting average. She also led the team on the defensive end, compiling 11 total digs.

·         Defensively, she was one of three Chargers to rack up double digit digs, joined by Rios and Crews.

·         Joining Kennelly among the leading hitters was Rios and Nowicki who each finished with five kills. Nowicki who led the Chargers hitting efforts with a .214 attack average with two errors in 14 attempts.

·         Against the Tritons, the Chargers combined for five total service aces with Rios and Lindsey Kim (Rye Brook, N.Y./Blind Brook) who each dropped two in.

NEXT ON TAP
The Chargers will close out the two-day Eckerd Invitational on Saturday with matches against Oklahoma Baptist and UNC Pembroke. The first match of the day for the Blue and Gold comes at 12:30 p.m. against the OBU Bison. First serve against he UNC Braves is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.