BOSTON, Mass. – Trailing 2-1 in the match with a 15-7 fourth set deficit, the Curry College women's volleyball team rallied past host Emmanuel College for a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory on Thursday evening in non-conference action at the Andy Yosinoff Gymnasium.
Following an even first set that went in favor of Curry, 25-23, the host Saints responded with a dominant performance in the second stanza with a convincing 25-10 route to even the match a 1-1.
In the third set, both teams held leads in another high-intensity frame. The Colonels build up a 21-17 advantage following a kill from freshman outside hitter Amanda Wood (Tokyo, Japan) but the Saints answered with an 8-1 run to close out the set with a 25-22 win behind the service game of senior Katherine Journeay (Hampton, N.H.).
The Saints appeared to have control of the match with a 15-7 lead midway through the fourth set but the Colonels never quit, fighting to even the match at 18-18 on another kill by Wood. The squads traded points down the stretch but an Emmanuel hitting error followed by a kill from freshman Rachel Damstra (Houston, Texas) sealed the 25-23 win to force a decisive fifth frame.
In the final set, Curry set the tone early to take a 7-3 lead on a smart shot from Damstra and never looked back. Emmanuel cut it to two points (9-7) but it was the closest they came as the Colonels held on for the 15-9 win to take the match 3-2.
Junior outside hitter Marissa Cataldo (Melrose, Mass.) led all player with 17 kills while senior outside hitter Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.) added 13 kills.
EC senior setter Carly Church (Higganum, Conn.) dished out 42 helpers in the defeat.
Freshman outside hitter Lexi Pereira (Attleboro, Mass.) paced the Colonels with a team-high 14 kills to go along with 10 digs for a double-double while Wood added 11 winners.
Junior libero Shea Mathews (Concord, N.H.) paced the defensive effort with 21 digs while junior setter Alexis Bell (Salem, Conn.) passed out 38 assists in the win.
Emmanuel served up 19 aces on the night compared to just three for the visitors while Curry owned a 16-9 advantage in total blocks.
Curry is back in action on Saturday in a tri-match against Dean and Regis College at the Weston, Mass. campus. The Saints are idle until next Tuesday when they play host to UMass Boston at 7:00 p.m.
