FLUSHING, N.Y. – The University of New Haven women's volleyball team picked up right where they left off from last year in their season opener double header against Queens College and Bridgeport University. The Chargers took the first match against the Knights winning 3-1. After a strong opener the blue and gold took on their I-95 rivals in a match that went down to a thrilling fifth set that the Chargers took 15-11 to take the match 3-2 over the Purple Knights and move to 2-0 to open up their 2022 season.
Game 1
New Haven entered their opening match against Queens riding a ten match win streak dating back to 2005 against the Knights and looked to extend that streak to 11 and open up with a strong win. New Haven jumped out early on the Knights in the first set scoring the first three points of the match to take the early lead, but the youth of Queens stayed in the match and down the stretch got within match point two times before it was the experience of the upperclassmen and emergence of the Charger freshmen to come back to take the first set 27-25. In the second set it was the Knights going on a five point streak late in the set that would prove to be the difference maker evening the match up at one with the Knights winning 25-20. The third set would be yet another tight set but midway through the set Emma Lazzerson came up with two major kills that ignited a surge of six straight points by the Chargers that would change the momentum. The scoring streak along with errors by the Chargers, and a final kill by Amihan Johnson (Tacoma, Wash./) gave the blue and gold the 25-22 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match heading into the fourth. After trading points throughout the set the Chargers pulled away mid way through the set. After a service error by the Knights, Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) got a service ace and the Knights would commit two errors putting the Chargers. Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) capped off the streak with two kills two put the Chargers at match point. Queens would grab a point before a kill by Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) to win the set and win the match 3-1 for the Chargers.
Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) led all scorers with 16 kills as Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) added nine in her debut in the blue and gold. Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) started just where she left off, dishing out 19 assists and Sammie Paguia (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) added 16. Following the win the blue and gold got a small break before they prepared for their I-95 matchup against Bridgeport.
Game 2
Following a short break the Chargers returned to the court to take on their in-state rivals who had dropped their first two matches of the season heading into the matchup. Having beaten Bridgeport twice in 2021 and looked to continue the trend and make it six in a row, the blue and gold controlled I-95. In the opening set New Haven grabbed the opening point before the two teams went back and forth staying within a point of each other. Bridgeport went up three through the middle of the set and were able to hold onto that lead winning the first set by a score of 25-22. The Chargers bounced back quickly in the second set scoring in bunches scoring the first three points of the set and continued to add on with kills from Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School), Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge), Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and a service ace from Rilee Jessee (Edinburgh, Ind,/Columbus East) en route to a 25-19 second set win to even the match at one a piece. The momentum continued into the third for New Haven as they quickly turned a 3-1 deficit into a 8-3 advantage which all started with Avery Moore's (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) kill. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) would continue to be lethal in the third along with Kylie Reynolds-Martin (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) and Sammie Paguia (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) picking up aces to win the third 25-18 and take a 2-1 match lead. Any rivalry needs good drama and suspense and that is just what Bridgeport created in the fourth as New Haven led only one time as the Purple Knights held on to tie the match up with a 25-22 win to force the crucial fifth set. The Chargers looked to stay undefeated on the year and knock off their rival for the sixth straight the stage was set. Bridgeport took the early lead before Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) put the blue and gold on the board with a kill and it was up from there. Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) got the scoring streak started with her kill followed by Kylie Reynolds-Martin (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) and Amihan Johnson (Tacoma, Wash./) kills to take the lead. Bridgeport went on their own run and took a 7-6 but that would be the last lead they would have in the set. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) got a kill off the assist from Sophia Leo-Tabor to tie it up and after an error on Bridgeport Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) had another kill extending the lead and they never looked back. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) ended the set just the way she started, with a kill to give New Haven the 15-11 win and win the match 3-2.
Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) finished the match tied with 14 kills each followed by Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) who had seven. Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) finished with 21 assists and Sammie Paguia (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) added another 20 assists.
With the 2-0 start, the team now turns their attention to Saturday with another doubleheader matchup against Charleston followed by Molloy. The team stays in New York and travels to Quealy Gymnasium in Rockville Centre New York with the match against Charleston at 2:00 p.m. followed by the matchup with Molloy at 4:00 p.m. Live stats and video are available at NewHavenChargers.com and on NE10 Now.
