PROVIDENCE, RI – The Saint Peter's University women's volleyball team split its two contests on Saturday, during the final day of the Friar Classic at Alumni Hall in Providence, Rhode Island. The Peacocks began the day triumphant over in-state foe Fairleigh Dickinson, 3-1 (28-26, 25-17, 14-25, 25-20), claiming the team's first win of the season. In the final match of the classic, the Peacocks fell to Binghamton in three (19-25, 16-25, 27-29).
The Basics
Score: Saint Peter's 3, Fairleigh Dickinson 1
Records: Saint Peter's (1-9) | FDU (3-5)
Location: Alumni Hall | Providence, RI
Match Notes
- A kill from Angeleyshka Curbelo gave Saint Peter's an early 4-2 lead in the opening game.
- FDU would double up SPU 10-5, taking over a 12-9 lead.
- Remaining in a hole, the Peacocks would find themselves down 15-20 late in the frame, when the team put together their most impressive rally of the season.
- Starting with a kill by freshman Jayden Easingwood and ending with a double-block by Easingwood and Stephanie Rivera, SPU scored six straight to take a one-point edge (21-20).
- The teams tied at 21 and 22 before the Knights reached set point, holding a 24-22 lead over the Peacocks.
- SPU would again prevail, knotting the game at 24 all, extending the set.
- After FDU reached set point two more times at 25 and 26, SPU ran off three consecutive points to steal the first set 28-26.
- The Peacocks ended the game by outscoring the Knights 13-6, which included the 6-0 run, erasing four deficits, and stopping three set points.
- Wildalys Soto anchored the offense and defense in the set with 11 assists and 11 digs, securing an early double-double in the match.
- The second game was all Saint Peter's, going ahead 16-7 following an ace by Alanis Alvarado.
- SPU kept its foot on the gas, using two kills each from Curbelo and Rivera over the team's final nine points to claim a 25-17 win and a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
- Unfortunately, the Peacocks couldn't complete the match sweep, dropping the third set 14-25.
- The fourth and final set was all Saint Peter's, never falling behind in a wire-to-wire win despite the deception of the final score.
- Freshman Suzzanne Bigelow punched in four kills to lead the attack to a 13-9 lead.
- The Peacocks did not let up, extending the game to a five-point advantage after an attack error by FDU, before cruising to the 25-20 set victory following a kill from Alvarado to cap off the match.
- Alvarado and Bigelow combined for 10 kills (five each) in the fourth set to lead the attack.
Inside the Numbers
- The Peacocks picked up where they left off after the Providence match on day one of the classic, recording double-figure kills in all four sets, finishing the match with 50 total kills -- the second time the team posted above 10 kills in every set of a match and recorded 50 or more total kills in a single match this season.
- SPU held in-match advantages over FDU in kills (50-48), assists (48-47), and digs (79-76), while also posting a better attack percentage (.146 to .141).
- The team's two attack errors in the fourth game, was a season-low for the lineup and the .146 attack percentage was the second-best for the unit in a single match on the year.
- Soto was credited with her team-leading third double-double on the season -- 21st of her career -- finishing with a season-high 36 assists and a career-high 20 digs.
- It was the first 30-20 match of the graduate's career.
- Alvarado earned her second double-double this campaign -- 22nd of her stellar career -- ending with a team-high 15 kills and 12 digs.
- This marked the second time this season that the duo of Alvarado and Soto each posted a double-double in the same match.
- Curbelo went over double-figure kills for the first time this season, logging 13 kills, while adding six assists and two total blocks.
- Bigelow ended her game with nine kills and two digs, both her season-best, and Rivera recorded seven kills and two total blocks.
- Sophomore libero Alwin Pila led the defense with a career-mark 24 digs, going over 20 digs for the second time this year, while Brianna Jones added a pair of block assists to match Curbelo, Easingwood, and Rivera with two total blocks in the win.
- The win was the second straight over FDU, improving the Peacocks' all-time lead over the Knights to 23-12.
The Basics
Score: Saint Peter's 0, Binghamton 3
Records: Saint Peter's (1-10) | Binghamton (3-5)
Location: Alumni Hall | Providence, RI
Match Notes
- The Peacocks ran out of steam after a great showing in the first match, falling in straight sets to Binghamton in the second match.
- Saint Peter's took its first and only lead of the first game at 7-6, coming by way of an attack error by Binghamton, eventually losing the set 19-25.
- Pila opened game two with a kill that put the Peacocks up 1-0, but the Bearcats responded with a 10-1 run and never looked back ultimately taking the game 25-16.
- SPU did not go down without a fight, playing Binghamton to nine ties and six lead changes in the third game.
- Each side alternated points over the first 10, playing to an even 5-5 draw.
- The Bearcats would remain in the lead, taking a controlling 22-16 lead late into the set.
- The Peacocks continued to battle, putting together an 8-1 rally that put the team ahead 24-23.
- Seven of SPU's eight points in the run came by way of errors committed by Binghamton.
- With set point, SPU allowed two straight points, giving Binghamton its first set point of the third game.
- The Peacocks would extend the game three times, knotting the meeting at 25, 26, and 27, before dropping the set and the match.
Inside the Numbers
- Alvarado was the team attack leader with five kills, followed by four from Skylee Nelson, and three each from Bigelow and Soto.
- Easingwood handed out a team-high seven assists, while Soto added six helpers.
- Defensively, Pila logged a team-best 12 digs with Alvarado right behind with 11.
- Jones and Easginwood both set new career marks in total blocks, rejecting six and three attack attempts, respectively.
All-Tournament Team
- Following her outstanding play both offensively and defensively, Soto was named to the Friar Classic All-Tournament team.
Coach's Quotes – Joe Chojnacki
- "Overall, I think this was a really important weekend for us. We found out the level of play we are capable of and were able to sustain it for most of the weekend."
- "Wildalys Soto did a great job distributing the ball offensively but more importantly she played outstanding defense."
- "All three of our middles (Stephanie Rivers, Suzzanne Bigelow & Brianna Jones) did a great job; it was hard to pick which two to keep in each match."
- "Angeleyshka Curbelo & Alanis Alvarado carried a heavy offensive load the whole weekend; it's great to see them both getting quality swings at the ball."
Up Next
- Saint Peter's will open up conference action next weekend with a pair of road dates in Connecticut on the docket.
- The Peacocks begin MAAC play on Saturday, September 18 at Quinnipiac, followed by a meeting with Fairfield on Sunday, September 19.
