Returning from a ten-day break, the Stony Brook Seawolves volleyball team picked up its sixth straight win Tuesday night, rolling over the Long Island University Blackbirds in straight sets. In the 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-12) sweep, the Seawolves showed no signs of rustiness, even recording a new season high for team hitting percentage at .336. Not only has Stony Brook recorded its fifth sweep of the year, it has also drawn to .500, evening its record at 8-8 right before conference play kicks off on Friday.
The Seawolves are building momentum at the right time, and find themselves in a much more promising position than they were in just a few weeks back. On Tuesday night, while extending their hot streak, the Seawolves also displayed the team chemistry and focus that has helped them turn the season around.
Stony Brook broke out into a 13-6 run in the first set to establish a comfortable 18-12 advantage. However, the Seawolves released their grip on the lead, as Long Island battled back to tie the score at 20. The home team eventually went ahead 23-22, but Seawolves junior Ashley Headen (Alexandria, VA) brought the Seawolves even with one of her ten kills. Two other Seawolves reached double digits in kills, with senior Lisa Doremus (Glendale, Ariz.) leading the way with 13 of them. Stony Brook would eventually win the set on a block from freshman Sally Downs (Coppel, Texas) and senior Lindsey Gordon (N. Patchogue, NY).
With a 1-0 lead, the Seawolves kept the pressure on in the second set. Despite falling behind early 3-2, the road team rolled thereafter, with various Seawolves chipping in to assure that the Blackbirds’ backs were kept pressed firmly against the wall. Doremus and Headen combined for 8 put-aways in the set, and the team as a whole hit for a percentage of .407. That powerful attack led to an easy 25-15 victory, setting Stony Brook up for the sweep.
The third set was even less of a contest. Stony Brook’s defense, led by junior Jeanette Gibbs’ (Port Jefferson, NY) 11 digs, forced Long Island into a dismal .065 hitting percentage. The 25-12 victory was facilitated by contributions from many different Seawolves, from Corrine Perry’s (Northport, NY) 26 assists to Gibbs 19 total digs.
The team looks to push the winning streak to seven on Friday, as it heads to Hartford to take on the Hawks. The game will be the first America East Conference contest for the Seawolves, who have had a tough non-conference schedule and look to use it as an advantage in conference play. Friday’s first serve is slated for 7:00 p.m.
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