Spikers Raise Season Record To 5-2 With Hard-Fought Split On Final Day Of 2023 Post University Invitational

Waterbury, Conn.-It was a long afternoon and early evening of women's volleyball on Saturday for the Purple Knights, as they wrapped action at the 2023 Post University Invitational by splitting two match to move their season record to 5-2.  UB opened play in Waterbury with a tough five-set loss against St. Anselm (5-2), 26-24, 15-25, 20-25, 25-17, 14-16, but the squad quickly rebounded to get right back in the win column with a four-set victory over Southern Connecticut State, 25-27, 25-18, 25-21, 28-26.

In the match versus St. Anselm, the Purple Knights trailed two sets to one and battled back to force a fifth and deciding set in which the raced out to a 5-0 lead and were up 14-11 only to see the Hawks run off five consecutive points to win the match.

In Saturday's opener, freshman Hailey Jessen (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) continued the hot start to her college career with a double-double of a team-high 20 kills and 13 digs.  She was joined in double-digit kills against St. Anselm by sophomore Lucia Tomiello (Caltrano, Italy) with 11.  Graduate student Datari Mathis (Wethersfield, Conn.) finished just shy of double-digit kills to open play on Saturday with nine.

Junior setter Jaden Drollinger (Queens Creek, Ariz.) notched a double-double versus St. A's with 46 assists and 13 digs.

On defense, three other Purple Knights notched double-digit digs led by Haley Andrews (Sr., Southington, Conn.) with a team-best 14 digs plus freshman Grace Presswood (S. Dennis, Mass.) and sophomore Isabella Carmona-Bailey (McKinney, Tex.) chipped in 12.

UB closed out the day by quickly shaking off the disappointing loss to St. Anselm with an impressive four-set triumph over Southern Connecticut State in which they dropped a tough first set before coming back to win three straight stanzas.

Hailey Jessen had another double-double versus the Owls with a team-high 15 kills and 15 digs.  Grace Presswood also had a double-double against SCU with 14 kills and 15 digs, and Jaden Drollinger gave head coach Gary Mullin's team three players with double-doubles in the win, as she contributed 41 assists and 12 digs.

Isabella Carmona-Bailey led the Bridgeport defense against the Owls with 21 digs.

Up next, the UB women's volleyball team will open its 2023 home and conference schedules in Hubbell Gym on Wednesday night with a 7:00 p.m. match against Felician University.