The Saint Peter's University volleyball team (1-15, 0-4 MAAC) fell to the Marist College Red Foxes (5-9, 1-3 MAAC) in five sets this afternoon. The Peacocks dropped the first set 25-11 and roared to life, winning the following frame 25-21. Marist responded by winning set three 25-21, and Saint Peter's captured a 25-21 set four victory, before losing 15-7 in the fifth.
The Peacocks put on their best offensive performance of the year, hitting a season best .240. Four players finished with double digit kills and three players finished with double-doubles.
Lauren Behrens led the way with 16 kills, 17 digs, 2 service aces and 4 block assists. Her .340 hitting percentage was also a personal best. Laura Reinhart recorded a team high 17 kills and also came away with 12 digs, 2 service aces and 2 block assists.
Sophomore setter Kristina Baeher dished out a career high 52 assists and added 15 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.
Junior libero Jenny Pliska played her best match of the year thus far, picking up a career best 37 digs.
Kassi Wirth was also sensational offensively, putting down a season high 12 kills
Marist had four players with double-digit kills, and they were led by Hanna Stoiberg's triple-double of 16 kills, 31 assists and 13 digs. Brooke Zywick had a match-high 38 digs.
Despite trailing 3-0 early on in the first set, the Peacocks managed to knot the score at 5-5, led by a pair of kills from freshman right side Lauren Behrens. A missed serve by Saint Peter's gave the visitors back the advantage, and they proceeded to go on a 8-3 run to jump in front 13-8 to force a Peacock time out. The Red Foxes maintained control of the game following the intermission by rattling off 5 straight points to establish a commanding 18-8 lead. The Red Foxes easily won the set 25-11.
Saint Peter's started off the second frame in front 4-2, and managed to hold on to the lead until Marist tied the score at 7-7. The Peacocks were able to bounce back and cling to a two point lead, until an ace by Laura Reinhart made the score 11-8. Marist battled back, and forced four tied scores and eventually took a three-point lead at 19-16. Four consecutive unforced errors by the Red Foxes quickly gave Saint Peter's the edge, and a short tip from Behrens put the Peacocks in front 23-20. A missed serve from the Red Foxes gave the home team game point and Kassi Wirth later sealed the deal with a deep corner kill.
The third set saw four tied scores and three lead changes. Marist began to show signs of pulling away, going ahead by three at 19-16 to force Head Coach Andrew Brown to call a timeout. His team responded, and formed a 3-1 run, led by back to back aces from sophomore Lexi Wirth to bring them within one at 20-19. Marist would close out the set outscoring Saint Peter's 5-2 however, for a 25-21 win.
Saint Peter's quickly bounced back in the fourth set, setting the tone early and going in front 6-2. Solid hitting and consecutive attacking errors by the Peacocks brought Marist back in the game and allowed the visitors to tie the score at 10-10. Saint Peter's would regain a three-point advantage (14-11), but again the Red Foxes clawed their way back to even the score at 15-15. The Wirth sisters soon combined for three of Saint Peter's four kills to enable a 20-16 advantage, one the Peacocks would not give up.
In the fifth set, the Peacocks brielfy led 3-1 before Marist roared to life and went on a 9-1 run. The frame would be the worst of the match for the hosts offensively, as they hit just .050 to the Red Foxes' .346.
Saint Peter's returns to action this Tuesday, as they face off against New Jersey rival Seton Hall University at 7pm in South Orange.
