Siena University Athletics

NEW BRITAIN, CT – Siena Volleyball team earned a split on the second-and-final day of the Central Connecticut State Tournament by picking up a sweep against the host Blue Devils to conclude play on Saturday evening at Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, CT.

Siena (1-2) swept CCSU 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-20) behind a much more efficient hitting percentage (.258) from the earlier match when the Saints hit just .133.

Sophomore and All-Metro Preseason selection Mary Claire Deacy led the way with 13 kills and six blocks, Abby Edwards had a team-high 20 assists and a pair of aces and Brooke Malek contributed 13 digs and four assists. Siena improved to 15-11 all-time in the series history against CCSU. 

Siena initiated the first set with a point from a kill by Deacy, assisted by Edwards. Despite early exchanges, they maintained momentum with strong plays from Deacy and an ace from Malek, keeping the score competitive.

Midway through the set, the Saints capitalized on Central Connecticut's errors and service aces from Natalia Clifford to pull ahead. Key blocks by Seymour and Edwards' assists further extended their lead.

In the closing moments, Siena secured the set with decisive kills from Gabrielle Wire and Brianna Miller, closing out at 25-23.

The second set began with a tightly contested exchange of points between the two teams. The Saints gained momentum through effective attacks, as Seymour and Deacy each contributed key kills, supported by Edwards' assists. A service ace by Miller helped them edge ahead 8-5.

Siena's defense and strategic plays, including a block by Seymour and a service ace by Clifford, extended their lead to 17-10. However, Central Connecticut countered with a series of points to narrow the gap to 18-17, fueled by Olivia Keckler's kills and service aces.

The Saints maintained composure in the closing stages, with decisive kills from Doga Diraz and Miller, sealing the set at 25-23. This victory allowed them to extend their match lead.

Siena began the third set with a strong defensive presence, capitalizing on errors by Central Connecticut State. The visitors quickly built momentum with blocks by Seymour and Deacy, leading to a 2-0 start. Miller contributed a key kill to extend the lead to 4-2.

The Saints continued to pressure CCSU with effective blocking and strategic plays, widening the gap to 7-3. Alara Doganyuz delivered an ace, maintaining the team's advantage. Although the Blue Devils rallied to tie the score at 9-9, Siena regained control with a kill by Deacy and another ace by Edwards, pushing the lead to 15-11.

In the final stretch, the Saints outpaced CCSU with Edwards leading a decisive scoring run. Deacy's back-to-back kills, combined with defensive stops, secured the set for Siena. The visitors closed with a 25-20 victory, sealing their performance with a block by Seymour and Deacy.

Looking ahead, the Saints will face Cleveland State on Friday, Sept. 4, at 10 a.m. to open the Mercyhurst Invitational. The match will take place at Owen McCormick Court in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Holy Cross 3, Siena 1 (16-25, 27-25, 17-25, 19-25)
The Saints dropped the earlier match on the day to the Crusaders (1-1).

Despite the defeat, the team recorded nine service aces and eight blocks in the match.

Brooke Malek recorded 20 digs across four sets, showcasing her defensive capabilities. Gabrielle Wire added to the offensive tally with eight kills and maintained a hitting percentage of .333. Abby Edwards contributed significantly with 15 assists and two aces. Brianna Miller led the team in scoring with nine kills and added two aces to her performance.

The first set began with Siena establishing an early presence as Abby Edwards delivered an ace to open the scoring. The team continued to compete closely, with Malek contributing a kill to maintain a narrow advantage at 2-1. However, Holy Cross responded with a series of successful plays, including a service ace by Tuana Ozarpaci, resulting in a 7-0 run that shifted momentum in its favor.

Siena attempted to regain control with a series of points, highlighted by consecutive errors from Holy Cross, which brought the score to 10-11. Despite this effort, Holy Cross capitalized on a series of kills from Kat Teepe to rebuild its lead. Siena managed to add key points late in the set, including a kill from Brianna Miller, but Holy Cross closed out the set with a 25-16 advantage.

Siena began the second set trailing but quickly shifted momentum with key plays from its roster. Doganyuz set up a crucial kill for Wire, sparking a comeback that saw the team close the gap to 4-6. A block by Seymour further tightened the match at 6-4. The Saints continued to fight back, eventually tying the score at 13-13 with a block from Alison Goldberg.

As the set progressed, Siena maintained pressure with consistent contributions from Miller and Deacy, drawing even at 22-22 after an ace. The team's resilience paid off as they surged ahead with a block from Goldberg, capturing the set 27-25 and closing the set with a lead.

Siena opened the third set with a block by Diraz on Emma Sorensen, establishing an early lead. Despite their efforts, Holy Cross responded with a series of blocks and kills, including multiple contributions from Isa Glover and Kat Teepe, pushing ahead to a 7-4 advantage.

The Saints then narrowed the gap with timely kills from Diraz and Wire, maintaining pressure on Holy Cross. However, the opposition capitalized on attack errors and extended its lead through consistent play from Emma Sorensen and Kat Teepe, moving the score to 18-10.

In the closing stages, Siena showed resilience with kills from Deacy and Miller, bringing the score closer. Despite these efforts, Holy Cross secured the set 25-17, concluding with a kill by Sarahya College.

Siena opened the fourth set with a strong start, fueled by Natalia Clifford's back-to-back aces, quickly gaining a 3-1 lead. The team maintained momentum with key contributions from Maggie Seymour and Alison Goldberg, extending the lead to 9-4.

Holy Cross responded with a series of plays, narrowing the gap to 13-11. Despite efforts from the Saints, including kills by Deacy and Brianna Miller, Holy Cross capitalized on errors and took a 16-14 lead.

Siena managed to stay competitive with service aces from Hannah Bowman, but Holy Cross maintained its edge. Despite a late push by the Saints, Holy Cross closed the set with a 25-19 victory.