October 14, 2008
Back From The Dead: Eagles Rally Stuns Pine Manor, Sets New Program Wins Record
 

Nashua - Trailing two sets to none and facing three straight match points in the third set, the Daniel Webster College women’s volleyball team came back from the dead to rally for an improbable 3-2 victory over Pine Manor College before nearly 200 patrons at Vagge Gymnasium Tuesday night.

Junior Kristina Rieger (Concord, N.H.) tallied a team high 12 kills including five in the pivotal fifth set and added nine digs and six solo blocks as the Eagles roared back with a 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 29-27, 15-13 victory, and broke the all time program record for wins in a season with their 10th, improving to 10-5 overall.

Freshman Amanda Wilson (Merrimack, N.H.) added nine kills while rookie SarahMaura Dwyer (Wayne, N.J.) added six kills and newcomer Caitlyn DiPierro (Billerica, Mass.) notched four service aces and six digs.

After the Gators (7-11) took the opening two sets, the Eagles jumped out to an 8-2 lead in set three only to see Pine Manor rally to pull even and hold match point at 24-21.

But the Eagles took advantage of two unforced errors and two service aces from DiPierro to stay alive with the 26-24 win.

In the fourth set and tied at 11, back-to-back kills from Rieger and senior Jessica Booth (Westminster, Mass.) sparked a quick 7-0 run for an 18-11 Eagle lead. A Dwyer kill later made it 24-17, but Pine Manor staged a ferocious comeback keyed by two kills each from Rachel Mastine (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Jennifer Gross (Coral Springs, Fla.) to tie it at 24. Both teams had set point advantages, but a Rieger kill followed two Gator errors to ice a 29-27 Eagles victory and force the deciding fifth set.

A seesaw fifth saw five lead changes and nine ties including a Rieger kill that deadlocked the set at 13. After Rieger followed with an ace for a 14-13 lead, the Eagles closed it out with a tip from newcomer Emily Travis (Somerset, Mass.) to take the 15-13 win.

Pine Manor saw a valiant effort from Andrea Lavigne (Haverhill, Mass.) who posted six kills, 20 digs and seven aces, while Amanda Dennis (Haverhill) had a monster night at the net with a match high 14 kills and four solo blocks.

Gross (Coral Springs, Fla.) chipped in with 10 kills, while Veronica Vozzollo (Bellmore, N.Y.) added a match best 33 digs in the back row.

The Eagles return to action Thursday when they travel to Wentworth Institute of Technology for a 7:00 p.m. matchup. Pine Manor visits UMass Dartmouth Thursday at 7:00 p.m.