WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – After a day one split in the Hyatt Place Bash at the Beach tournament, the New Haven women's volleyball team returned to the court for a pair of first time matchups against the tournament hosts, Palm Beach Atlantic followed by a meeting with St. Cloud State later in the day. Sitting at 3-3 the blue and gold looked to pick up two big wins before they return to West Haven following the weekend in Florida. 

Game 1 vs. Palm Beach Atlantic

For the second day in a row the Chargers opened up the day, this time taking on the hosting Sailfish. The first set turned out to be a thriller going down to the wire as both teams throughout the set went on their own scoring streaks to keep things close and the pressure on each other. Late in the set, the blue and gold put together four straight with kills from Kylie Reynolds-Martin (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) and Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School), along with a kill from Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) to take the lead 23-22. It was the Sailfish however coming from behind to take the lead and the set winning 25-23 and go up 1-0. Following the first set the Chargers came out hot and with two back four point streaks early over the Sailfish to go out in front 12-5 and that was just the beginning. Up 14-11, the blue and gold scored six straight with a kill from Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and the sailfish not being able to handle the service from Amihan Johnson (Tacoma, Wash./Fife High School) the lead jumped to 20-11 for the Chargers. Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) put the Chargers at set point with a huge kill before Itzel Cruz (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) closed it out with a service ace to take the set and tie the match at 1-1. In the third set, the Sailfish jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before New Haven came back with four straight to take the lead. That was how the set continued with one team leading and the other coming back. Down two late Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) registered a kill and along with errors on the Sailfish New Haven tied it up at 21 all. The next four of five points would go in favor of the Sailfish as they would take the set 25-22 and go up again 2-1. In the fourth set with the pressure on the Chargers, they put together a five point streak to break away late with key kills from Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School), and Amihan Johnson (Tacoma, Wash./Fife High School) along with two service aces from Itzel Cruz (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame). Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge)s kill got the Chargers to set point before an error on the Sailfish gave New Haven the 25-20 win and tied it all up at two heading into the fifth and final set. The race to 15 was on and it was the Chargers scoring first with a kill from Emma Lazerson (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge). Down the stretch however it was the Sailfish able to slow the Chargers offense down and get to fifteen first knocking off the Chargers 15-12 and winning 3-2 in the match. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) led the way with 19 kills followed by Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) with 13. Itzel Cruz (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) and Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) both had three service aces as Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) totalled 40 assists in the match. The loss dropped New Haven to 3-4 and looking to bounce back in their second game of the double header against St. Cloud State.  

Game 2 vs. St. Cloud State

In their second game of the day and fourth and final of the tournament, the Chargers took on the Huskies from St. Cloud State in a critical game for New Haven trying to get back to .500 on the year. The two teams split the first two points but it was the Chargers playing the underdogs trying to put together mini scoring streaks to cut into the lead the Huskies had built early on. Kills from Sydney Aber (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) and Sammie Paguia (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) put the pressure on late but it was the Huskies taking the first set 25-14 and going up 1-0. The second set New Haven kept the Huskies close and with key scoring streaks led by kills from Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and Avery Moore (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community High School) along with errors on the Huskies the pressure was on. Coming out of the New Haven timeout however it was the Huskies who scored five of the seven points to take the second set 25-18 and go up 2-0 in the match. Down to potentially the match set, the Chargers came out and scored the first point and put together scoring streaks again to take and early lead and stay close to the Huskies. A late three point streak with two kills from Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and a Service Ace from Julia Guarniere (Milford, N.H./Milford) put the pressure on but the Huskies were able to take the third set 25-19. Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) finished with 12 kills followed by Kylie Reynolds-Martin (San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) with seven. Sophia Leon-tabor added 20 assists and nine digs in the matchup. 

UP NEXT

After the tournament the Chargers boarded their flight back to Connecticut following the weekend series in Florida where the team went 1-3 and moved to 3-5. The team returns back to Charger Gymnasium before the team takes back to the road this time to Delaware to compete in the Wildcat Regional Invitational for three matches spanning September 9 to September 10 where the Chargers will take on Jefferson, Wilmington, and Holy Family in the tournament. All post-game coverage, stats and stories are available at NewHavenChargers.com.