POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Clark University volleyball (2-0) traveled to New York for matches against WestConn (0-2) and Rivier (0-3). The Cougars held on for a tight 3-2 win in their opening match against the Wolves, then battled to another victory, 3-1, over the Raiders to close out the day.
How it Happened (Game One)
- The Cougars jumped out to a 12-8 advantage, led by four early kills from junior Isabella Alcott. After the match was briefly tied at 14-14, Alcott picked up two more kills to finish off a four-point run for Clark.
- With the match close at 20-19, Clark picked up three straight points off kills from senior Winifred Gakidis and Alcott. Alcott recorded her ninth kill of the set on the final point, clinching a 25-21 set-one victory for the Cougars.
- The Wolves won three straight points to tie the second set at 11-11, but the Cougars responded with three straight of their own, highlighted by two kills from Gakidis and a service ace from senior Julia Dopazo.
- Clark would go on a five-point run later in the set, fueled by a block from Gakidis and Alcott, a kill by Alcott, and a kill from senior Katelyn Williams.
- The Wolves would make it tight late, but kills by Alcott and Williams closed the set in favor of Clark, 25-23.
- Clark came back from a 16-9 deficit in the third set, using a five-point run to get back into the set. However, WestConn would find two straight points to secure a 26-24 set-three win.
- A five-point run late in the fourth set, featuring kills by junior Abigail Venis and Alcott and an ace from junior Hannah Harrington, made it 21-18 in the set.
- The Wolves held on, winning seven of the next nine points to take a 25-23 set-four win.
- Clark took an early 6-2 lead behind a four-point run featuring a kill and block from sophomore Ashlyn Moquin and a pair of service aces from Gakidis.
- After a Wolves run tied the game at 9-9, the Cougars went on another four-point run with two kills by Alcott and a kill by Gakidis. However, a five-point run from WestConn gave the Wolves a 14-13 advantage late in the fifth set.
- Clark stormed back, with a kill by Gakidis tying the set and a service ace from Williams ending it, as the Cougars secured a 16-14 fifth-set victory and a 3-2 match win.
Inside the Box Score (Game One)
- Alcott led the charge with a career-best 27 kills, 15 digs, four service aces, and two blocks.
- Gakidis recorded 17 kills on 34 swings, a career-best eight blocks, and two service aces.
- Williams had a strong all-around game with 17 digs, nine kills, three service aces, and three blocks.
- Senior Harper Chinn recorded a career-best 27 digs and eight assists from her spot at libero.
- Harrington (25 assists) and Dopazo (24 assists) served as the distributors for the offense.
How it Happened (Game Two)
- Service aces from Harrington and Alcott helped Clark pull away to an early 9-4 advantage.
- After Rivier briefly pulled in front, 20-19, the Cougars answered with a three-point run led by kills from Venis, Gakidis, and Williams.
- Tied again at 23-23, Clark won four of the next five points to take a 26-24 set victory.
- Down early in the second set, the Cougars used a run sparked by a kill from Venis and two kills from Alcott to take a 6-5 edge.
- As the set went back and forth, a block from Venis and first-year Cadence Martin made it 18-15 late in the set. Williams closed it out with a pair of service aces to secure a 25-21 win.
- In the third set, the Raiders jumped out to an early lead, withstanding a five-point Cougar run to win 25-14.
- With the fourth set tied at 15-15, Clark pulled away behind kills by Alcott, Moquin, and Venis to take a 20-15 advantage.
- Kills by Martin and Williams closed it out, with Clark taking the fourth set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1.
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)
- Alcott again led the team with 14 kills while adding nine digs and two service aces.
- Williams added eight kills, two service aces, two blocks, and three digs.
- Chinn again secured 20-plus digs, finishing with 23.
- Dopazo recorded a double-double with 18 assists and 10 digs.
- Harrington added 15 assists and five digs.
- Moquin recorded five kills, four digs, and two blocks.
What's Next
The Scarlet and White finish off their road trip with a Saturday afternoon match against Vassar College at 11:00 a.m.
