Seton Hall University
LIU Brooklyn
Volleyball Downs LIU, 3-1, For 20th Win
10/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Sophomore Tessa Fournier (Redondo Beach, Calif.) recorded a match-high 29 digs as the Seton Hall women's volleyball team rallied to down LIU-Brooklyn in four sets, 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-22), on Tuesday.
With the victory, Seton Hall improves to 20-6 overall. It's only the Pirates' fifth 20-win season in program history and matches their most overall wins since winning 20 in 2003.
Senior Stacey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) had a team-high 16 kills to go with eight digs and an impressive .419 attack percentage. Her sister Shelbey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) had 46 assists, nine digs, seven blocks and five kills in a strong all-around match.
Seton Hall (20-6) got off to a slow start as LIU scored five of the first seven points, but the Pirates responded with three straight to tie the set at five. An LIU kill by Tamara Ignjic gave the Blackbirds a 9-8 lead and Seton Hall played from behind for the remainder of the set. LIU extended the lead to 24-18, and the Pirates staved off four set points, but ultimately fell, 25-22, in set one. The Blackbirds had a .275 attack percentage in the opening frame, compared to .235 for Seton Hall.
The Pirates scored the first five points of set two, prompting an early timeout by LIU. The Blackbirds rallied to tie the set at eight, but a kill by Simona Sekulova (Auckland, New Zealand) put The Hall back on top. A kill by Amanda Hansen (Pewaukee, Wis.) extended the Pirate lead to 20-15, and LIU didn't get closer than four points for the rest of the set. Seton Hall evened the match with a 25-20 set two victory. The Hall's defense turned up its intensity in set two as it held the Blackbirds to a .114 attack percentage.
Set three was a back-and-forth affair in the early goings. The teams combined for 10 ties and six lead changes. Trailing 11-10, the Pirates scored four straight to take a 14-11 advantage. But the Blackbirds responded with four straight of their own to re-take a 15-14 lead. With the score tied at 21, a kill by Molly Grammer (Center Valley, Pa.) put the Pirates back in front for good. An LIU service error put Seton Hall in set point and a Sekulova kill gave set three to Seton Hall, 25-22.
Grammer finished the match with nine kills.
The Hall scored four of the first five points to take an early lead in set four, but LIU stormed back to tie the set at five. Trailing 9-8, the Blackbirds scored three straight to take an 11-8 advantage. But a kill by Sekulova put The Hall back in front, 16-15. A kill by Hansen put Seton Hall in match point, 24-22, and blocks by Hansen and Shelbey Manthorpe won set four for the Pirates, 25-22, and the match, 3-1. Stacey Manthorpe had seven kills in set four alone as the Pirates erupted for a match-high .389 attack percentage.
Five Pirates had at least seven kills in a strong all-around offensive performance.
Seton Hall will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 8 when it hosts Villanova at Walsh Gym. Match time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
