Kingston, RI. – The Dukes rally fell short on Friday night as they dropped a 3-2 decision at Rhode Island in Atlantic 10 play, inside Keaney Gymnasium. With loss, the Duquesne University volleyball team drops to 11-7 overall and 2-4 in league action.
POINT OF EMPHASIS
Despite dropping the first two sets (25-22), the Dukes climbed its way back, securing sets three and four. In the third stanza, Duquesne posted a .364 swing percentage and 15 kills to secure a 25-23 set victory. The Dukes jumped out to an early 6-1 lead, thanks to three kills from three different Dukes and a pair of blocks. Rhode Island responded with four consecutive points to trim the deficit, 6-5. Later in the set, Duquesne stretched its lead to 16-12 off a successful swing by graduate student
Elizabeth Drelling before the Rams knotted the score at 17-all with a 5-1 stint. Rhode Island would take a 23-21 advantage later in the set but the Dukes responded with four straight points to take a 25-23 win. Freshman
Emersen Schrom sparked the stint with a kill followed by a successful swing from junior
Ariel Helm. Sophomore
Avery Hobson and Helm collected a block before Hobson sealed the set for the Dukes with a kill.
EVEN THE SCORE
The two teams traded the opening eight points of the fourth set before Duquesne mounted a 6-1 stint to hold a 10-5 advantage. Junior
Carsyn Henschen and Drelling each tallied a pair of kills to lead the burst. Rhode Island cut the deficit to one (15-14) with a 5-1 stint before Duquesne stretched its lead to 20-14 with five consecutive points. Drelling found the floor successfully before Hobson registered back-to-back aces. Duquesne bolstered four of the final five points to even the match at 2-2 with a 25-18 victory. A pair of errors from the Rams started the run for the Dukes before a service ace from grad student
Grace Kristofic gave Duquesne set point. Schrom would seal the deal for the Dukes, finding the floor successfully.
FINAL FRAME
In the fifth set, Duquesne held an 11-5 advantage but the Rams knotted the score at 11-all with six straight points. After a Drelling point, sophomore
Jordan Robertson an Schrom tallied a block to give the Dukes a 14-12 advantage. Rhode Island posted four consecutive points to take the set and the match, 16-14.
INSIDE THE STAT SHEET
Three Dukes finished with double figure kills, led by
Carsyn Henschen, with a season-high 19 kills and three blocks and a .326 hitting percentage.
Elizabeth Drelling finished with a double-double, ending with 14 kills and 10 digs while collecting two blocks.
Ariel Helm fell short of a double-double, tallying 10 kills and nine total blocks on the night. Sophomore
Chloe Wilmot posted a double-double with 29 assists, 16 digs, and two aces while Kristofic finished with 18 assists and four digs. Junior
Madison Grimm tallied with 16 digs and seven assists on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Duquesne finishes its series with Rhode Island on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 1:00 p.m. inside Keaney Gymnasium before returning to Pittsburgh for a series against Fordham.
