Seton Hall University
Columbia
Warren Breaks Record as Volleyball Rallies
9/21/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 21, 2013
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. - Senior Alyssa Warren (Joliet, Ill.) broke Seton Hall's all-time digs record as the Seton Hall women's volleyball team rallied from a 2-0 set deficit to defeat Columbia, 3-2 (17-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-17, 15-11), in Saturday's finale of the Cavalier Classic.
Warren tallied a match-high 27 digs in the comeback victory giving her 1,954 digs in her career, passing former Seton Hall great and current assistant coach Allie Matters.
After starting the season with a 1-5 record, Seton Hall has rebounded with victories in four of its last five matches to improve its record to 5-6. Today's five-set victory is the sixth, five-set match in 11 matches so far this season for the Pirates. The Hall is 3-3 in those matches.
Four Pirates reached double-figures in kills and five had at least 10 digs.
Shelbey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) had another monster match for Seton Hall. The junior collected her third triple-double of the season with a season-high 46 assists to go with 11 kills and 10 digs. She also had a team-best .391 attack percentage. Her sister Stacey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) notched a double-double with 17 kills and 17 digs. Both Manthorpes were named to the Cavalier Classic All-Tournament team.
Seton Hall jumped out to an early 5-1 lead in set one, but Columbia responded with a 9-1 run to take a 10-6 lead and prompt a Pirates' timeout. A kill by Molly Grammer (Center Valley, Pa.) pulled Seton Hall to within one point at 12-11, but the Lions scored four straight to extend their lead to 16-11. For the remainder of the set, the Pirates wouldn't get closer than four points as Columbia rolled to a 25-17 first set victory.
Set two was significantly closer with 16 ties and seven lead changes. Neither team led by more than three points. Trailing 21-20, Stacey Manthorpe's kill tied the set at 21, and an attack error gave Seton Hall a 22-21 lead. But, after a Columbia timeout, the Lions scored the final three points of the set to take a commanding two-sets-to-none match lead.
The resilient Pirates however, battled back in set three. After another tight set early on, Seton Hall pulled away late. With the score tied at 17, the Pirates closed the set with an 8-2 run to win set three, 25-19. A pair of late kills by junior Simona Sekulova (Auckland, New Zealand) were instrumental in keeping the Pirates' momentum.
Columbia (2-7) scored the first three points of set four, but their lead wouldn't last long. The Pirates responded with an 11-2 run to take an 11-5 lead. Leading 17-12, Seton Hall scored four straight points, giving it its largest lead of the match at 21-12. Sekulova's kill ended the set with a 25-17 Seton Hall victory and tied the match at two sets apiece.
In the fifth and deciding set, the action was again back-and-forth. When the teams were tied at 11, it was already their 10th tie of the set. The Pirates however, again pulled away late, scoring the final four points of the set to win set five, 15-11, and the match, three-sets-to-two.
Seton Hall will return to action on Friday, Sept. 27 when it begins the BIG EAST portion of its schedule. The Pirates will travel to St. John's for a match starting at 7:00 p.m.
