WALTHAM, Mass –  With their non-conference schedule complete and riding a four match win streak, the New Haven Women's Volleyball team turned their attention to the remainder of the conference schedule and a key matchup against the Bentley Falcons, who entered match play sitting second in the conference standings, and the Chargers looking to jump up the standings and turn the tide in the matchup back towards the blue and gold.

Series History

In a long history between the two conference rivals, the Chargers and Falcons are no strangers to one another with the teams meeting twice in 2021. New Haven leads the all-time series between the two 48-13 with the Chargers winning the first ever match back in 1982, but the Falcons took both meetings between the two in 2021 moving their winning streak up to three against New Haven. In a matchup that New Haven has dominated the history in, the Falcons have controlled recently and with both teams pushing for playoff seeding, the stage was set for an exciting conference matchup. 

The Chargers opened up the scoring first off an error by the Falcons before Kylie Reynolds-Martin (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) registered a kill as part of an early 3-1 lead for the blue and gold. Itzel Cruz (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) found her spot off the service for an ace to put New Haven up 8-3 early. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and Reynold-Martin combined for a pair of kills to give New Haven their largest lead of the match forcing Bentley to call a timeout. Out of the break however it was the Falcons jumping up, tying and eventually winning the first set 25-18 to take the 1-0 lead in the match. The second set saw the Chargers again take the first point of the set and take an early lead off the kills from Amihan Johnson (Tacoma, Wash./Fife High School), Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School), and Brown. Both teams went back and forth trading points and the lead through errors, kills and aces like a ace from Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) to tie the match at 11-11. New Haven later scored three straight including an ace from Brown to force a timeout from Bentley but the Falcons grabbed the second point out of break to win the set 25-22 and go up 2-0. In a critical third set for the blue and gold, the first point went to the   

Chargers off a kill from Reynolds-Martin. The Falcons tried to fly away but the Chargers came storming back late led by Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac). Down by 2 at 21-19, Christa Cooper called a timeout and New Haven out of the break came out a different team forcing an error before tying the match up on an error by the Falcons. Emily Barry (Freeport, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) gave the blue and gold the lead on a kill before closing the set out with a kill and ace to take the set 25-23 and cut into the match 2-1 forcing a fourth. In the fourth, the Falcons took the first point and extended out to a five point lead. Brown and Johnson cut into the lead with back to back kills. Brown and Barry combined for a pair of kills to make it three before Reynolds-Martin made it 12-10 forcing a Falcons timeout. Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) got it to one before Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) tied things up with a service ace tying the fourth set for the first time. After New Haven's four straight Bentley responded with three of their own forcing a New Haven timeout. Out of the break, Bentley was back on the board forcing another timeout by the Chargers. Out of this break Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and the blue and gold scored three straight two from kills, but the late run was a little too late as the Falcons took the set 25-19 and won the match 3-1. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) led with 12 kills and 21 digs as Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) added 30 assists to the match. 

Up Next

With the loss New Haven drops to 12-9 and 3-3 in the conference with the Chargers having a quick turnaround for another conference matchup traveling up to New Hampshire to take on the Franklin Pierce Ravens for a Saturday night match. The Chargers back to back matches tests the depth and endurance of the team making their late season push for the conference post season. Tip-off between the Chargers and Ravens is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and live stats and post game stats and stories available at NewHavenChargers.com.