POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist volleyball team defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats 3-1 on Sunday afternoon. The win was the first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory of the season for the Red Foxes. In addition, on the third-to-last rally of the match, Nikki DeSerpa tallied her 1000^th career, joining the company of just seven other Red Fox players. 

Marist improves to 3-8 (1-1 MAAC) with the victory, while Quinnipiac falls to 4-7 (0-2 MAAC).

We'd like to officially congratulate senior Nikki DeSerpa on joining the 1,000 kill club! Her 16th and final kill in today's match against Quinnipiac was good for her 1000th career kill. Congrats Nikki, and here's to many more kills! pic.twitter.com/raWGv8XiQ1

— Marist Volleyball (@Maristvb) September 23, 2019

 

SUMMARY

• DeSerpa opened set one on fire. She blasted three kills on the first six rallies, helping Marist get out to a quick 5-1 lead. Quinnipiac clawed back and tied the match at 10, and the two teams went back-and-forth until the end. With ties at 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, and 24, neither team could gain full control. After a bad set by Quinnipiac and a service ace by Gabby Murray, the Red Foxes were able to steal set one, 26-24.
• Set two was also tightly contested for the entirety of the set. The Red Foxes trailed 23-21, but back-to-back kills from Megan Fergus tied the match at 23. However, the Bobcats took the next two points and won the set 25-23.
• Marist rebounded in the third set, storming out of the gate to a 8-4 lead, and forcing Quinnipiac to call for time. Despite various comeback attempts by the Bobcats, the Red Foxes never allowed Quinnipiac to lower their lead lower than three points. Marist took the set 25-18.
• The Red Foxes continued that momentum into set four. The Bobcats opened with four straight points, but Marist answered with four straight points of its own to tie the match. The Red Foxes would use a 6-0 run to take a 16-9 lead, and didn't look back. Despite the Bobcats cutting their deficit to just one, twice, Marist held on to win the set 25-21. The Red Foxes took the match 3-1.

 

STATS

• The Red Foxes had three players with double-digit kills. Fergus had a match-high 22 kills, while DeSerpa added 16 and Sarah Austin totaled 12.
• Three Marist players had double-doubles on the day. Setter Halle Carter had 49 assists and added 17 digs, while Fergus (10) and Austin (15) added double-digit digs to their impressive kill totals.
• Sophia Theriot had a match-high 24 digs, with a career-high eight assists. Murray had a match-high five service aces.
• Aryanah Diaz led the Bobcats with 20 kills.
• Marist held a slight advantage in total blocks, 10-8.

 

NOTES

• In addition to picking up her 1000^th career kill, DsSerpa's 16 kills were also a season-high.
• Fergus' 22 kills and 10 digs were both career-highs, and it was her first career double-double.
• Murray's five service aces were the highest total for a Red Fox this season.
• Stone totaled eight total blocks, a season-high mark.
• Carter's double-double was the first of her career, and she added a career-high in assists (49), kills (2), and digs (17).

 

UP NEXT

Marist hits the road again, this time traveling to Saint Peter's on Saturday, September 28, for its third MAAC match of the year. First serve is set for 1 p.m.