Lightfoot Ties All-Time Digs Record; Volleyball Falls in Four at Syracuse

Saturday, September 19

Syracuse, N.Y.

5 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-7

Syracuse University

7-2

New Hampshire

Syracuse

Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot matched the all-time career digs record with 1,398.

Photo by: UNH Athletic Communications

Lightfoot Ties All-Time Digs Record; Volleyball Falls in Four at Syracuse

9/19/2015 8:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot (Clarkson, Mich.) tied the program's all-time digs record, but the University of New Hampshire volleyball team fell to Syracuse University in four sets to open the Big Orange Tournament on Saturday.

The set scores were 15-25, 19-25, 25-21 and 24-26. UNH's overall record falls to 6-7 in the non-conference match while Syracuse improves to 7-2.

Lightfoot tied the program-milestone late through the fourth set. The senior libero finished the contest with 11 digs, matching Jen Williams' '05 mark of 1,398.

Senior middle blocker Cassidy Croci (Sylvania, Ohio) posted a season-high 13 kills to lead the UNH offense. Juniors Demi Muses (Orangevale, Calif.) and Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) achieved double-doubles. Muses tallied 10 kills and 17 digs while Severtson posted 41 assists and 14 digs. Senior outside hitter Maggie Kenney (Merrimack, N.H.) was one kill shy of a double-double, turning in 12 digs and nine kills.

Syracuse had three players register double figures in the kills column. Senior outside hitters Silvi Uattara and Monika Salkute paced the Orange offense with 17 kills apiece. Redshirt senior outside hitter Nicolette Serratore notched a double-double effort of 15 kills and 16 digs. Gosia Wlaszczuk, a senior setter, directed the Orange attack to hit .272 by dishing out 32 assists. She also pitched in 14 digs to register a double-double. Sophomore defensive specialist Belle Sand shoveled out 18 attacks to anchor the backline.

New Hampshire and Syracuse traded a pair of runs to start the first set, but the Orange was first to hit the 10-point threshold with a 10-8 edge. Despite a pair of Croci kills, Syracuse carved out a 14-10 advantage as UNH opted to use its first timeout. The Wildcats collected the next point on a service error, but the hosts won the next four exchanges to extend their lead to 18-11. New Hampshire looked to regain its composure, huddling for a second time. The deficit proved to be too much as Syracuse prevailed in the first frame.

The Wildcats jetted out to a 6-2 lead to begin the second stanza as the visitors, plagued by hitting errors, halted for an early timeout. Syracuse regrouped for a 6-2 surge, knotting the set at eight apiece as the UNH bench burned its first timeout. The two sides exchanged blows, upping the score to 13-13. The Orange propelled head, highlighted by back-to-back kills to gain a 16-13 edge and force the 'Cats to use another timeout. Severtson, Muses and Croci hammered kills after the breather, but Syracuse landed six kills to carry the home team to the second set victory and 2-0 advantage into intermission.

UNH dashed to a quick 10-6 lead out of the locker room to start set three, highlighted by back-to-back slashes from Croci out of the chute. The Wildcats nursed their slight edge midway through the stanza, looking up at a 13-11 score. Syracuse pulled within a point on the next exchange, but an Abby Brinkman (Brecksville, Ohio) kill followed by a service ace from Courtney Bowman (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) forced the Orange to huddle as the host team trailed 15-12. The timeout proved to be beneficial for Syracuse, tallying three quick points to knot the set at the 15 mark. The Wildcats would not relinquish their lead easily. Staving off the surge, Croci, Muses and Kenney combined for points as the visitors owned a slim 22-20 lead late in the frame. Syracuse looked to regroup and close out the match, yelling time. New Hampshire was not phased by the stoppage, punctuating the third set with back-to-back kills from Muses and Kenney to extend the match.

UNH and Syracuse was in a neck-to-neck battle to begin the fourth frame. However, the Orange engineered four straight points to take a 10-5 lead. The 'Cats whittled down the home team advantage to three at 15-12. Syracuse stretched its lead to 19-14, but the 'Cats cut the lead down quickly on the strength of back-to-back service aces from Muses. The Orange maintained its three-point edge into the waning moments of the frame, owning a 21-18 lead. UNH, fighting to extend the match into a fifth frame, knotted the stanza at the 24 mark as a flurry of kills were struck from Muses and Kenney. However, Syracuse slammed the door on any potential marathon match, tallying a kill and a combo block to claim match point.

The Wildcats conclude the weekend and their non-conference slate in contests against the University at Buffalo (12:30 p.m.) and United States Naval Academy (4 p.m.) on Sunday, Sept. 20. New Hampshire starts its America East title defense at Lundholm Gymnasium on Friday, Sept. 25 (7 p.m.) against the University of Hartford.

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