WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The top-seeded University of New Haven volleyball team posted the first sweep of the 2017 NCAA Division II East Region Championship, taking down the eighth-seeded Caldwell Cougars to advance to the semifinal round for the second-straight season.
New Haven never trailed in the first two sets, posting scores of 25-18 and 25-19 to gain the early 2-0 lead in the match. The Cougars weren't going to rest however as they led the early portion of the third set before a series of five ties and three lead changes, with the latter of those falling in favor of New Haven as they earned the victory with a 25-20 win in the third set.
Leading the Chargers in the set was the NE10 Setter of the Year and AVCA All-Region selection Kristine Rios (Miami, Fla./Coral Reef) who complied her fifth triple double of the season, her first in NCAA Championship play, with 11 kills, 19 assists and 12 digs. Overall, she was one of three players in double figures offensively with NE10 Rookie of the Year Kali Greathead (Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley) leading all hitters in the match with 14 kills coming on a .286 attack percentage. Rounding out the leading hitters was junior Caroline Martins (Tres Pontas, Brazil) who finished with 10 kills.
Among all of the Chargers hitters, Rios led the way individually with a .409 attack percentage, suffering just two errors in 22 attempts. Her 19 assists were second most on the team as she split time with graduate student setter Annika Hacker (Bayreuth, Germany/Littleton (Colo.)) in the six-two offense. Hacker captained the Chargers offense with 22 assists as New Haven closed out the match hitting .270 as a team with a combined 48 kills.
Defensively, New Haven was led by junior libero Lindsey Kim (Rye Brook, N.Y./Blind Brook) who compiled 17 digs, part of three players in double figures. Joining her was Rios and Greathead who each finished with 12 as Greathead combined for the double double and Rios' 12 digs adding to her triple double. Martins narrowly missed out on a double double as she closed out the match with nine digs. As a team, the Chargers collected six total blocks, led by Rios and senior middle blocker Lexis Peterson (Windsor, N.Y./Windsor Central) who each contributed three.
Leading the Cougars was sophomore middle blocker and outside hitter Kathleen Compagno who finished the match with nine kills, part of five total players to contribute offensively. Joining her in leading the way was senior Katrina Janssen, the D2CCA East Region Player of the Year who finished with seven kills. Leading the Caldwell hitters in efficiency was sophomore Avery Stanechewski who finished without an error, dropping in six kills in 12 attempts for a .500 average.
Defensively, Caldwell was led by senior libero Jessica Mitchell who finished with 13 digs. Senior outside hitter Taryn Young joined her in double figures with a dozen digs, while as a team Caldwell combined for six blocks. Individually, Compagno led the way with four total blocks.
The Chargers advance to the East Region semifinals for the second-straight season where they will meet the winner between fourth-seeded NYIT and fifth-seeded Southern Connecticut State University in Friday's second semifinal match. Opening serve is schedule for approximately 7:30 p.m.
