St. John's University Athletics
Delaware Downs Princeton 3-1 In Queens
12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 1, 2007
QUEENS, N.Y. - The University of Delaware used a balanced attack to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after upending Princeton, 3-1 (24-30, 32-30, 30-27, 30-22), at Carnesecca Arena on Friday night.
Four Blue Hens notched at least 10 kills in the contest, including Kelly Gibson who recorded a match-high 19 to go along with 20 digs and two aces.
Colleen Walsh also had 11 kills during the match, while Katie Dennehy chipped in with seven of Delaware's 12 blocks.
"I think we got really physical with our blocks," said head coach Bonnie Kenny. "We're pretty athletic, and we knew that if we could get our middles going, we could open up the outside for Kelly and Colleen."
Paige Erickson and Michelle LaLonde, the Blue Hens' two standout middle hitters, combined for 25 kills and 10 blocks. With their presence inside, Gibson and Walsh were able to find spaces in Princeton's defense
Walsh finished the match with 11 kills and three blocks, while Gibson notched her fifth straight double-double and her 16th in the last 18 contests.
In the fourth and decisive game, Princeton and Delaware battled to nine ties with the last one coming at 10-10. The Blue Hens quickly grabbed the lead behind four straight points, including an ace by Gibson.
Following the Hens' run, Princeton answered with two straight points. Delaware then leaned on Walsh, who quickly racked up three straight kills to extend the Hens' lead to 17-12. Although Princeton cut into the deficit, the closest the Tigers could come was 25-21 late in the set.
After that point, Delaware outscored Princeton, 5-1, led by two kills from Paige Erickson, including the last one of the match that clinched the 30-22 victory and moved the Blue Hens on to the round of 32.
With the win, the Blue Hens become just the third team from the Colonial Athletic Association to win a match in the NCAA Tournament. Hofstra accomplished the feat last season when the Pride beat Cornell, while George Mason advanced to the second round in 1995 after defeating Indiana.
Delaware's future seemed slightly in doubt during the first game of the match after Princeton rattled off seven straight points and nine of the first 10.
After a Tiger attack error put the Blue Hens on the board, the Delaware defense blocked their way back into the game, recording four straight stops, including three block assists by LaLonde and two assists and a solo stop by Katie Dennehy.
Once Princeton snapped Delaware's streak, the Tigers went on a run of their own, notching four straight points to extend their lead to 13-7.
Although LaLonde quickly brought Delaware back into the game, recording four kills over a seven-point stretch to pull the Blue Hens within three at 15-12, the team could not cut into the lead any further.
Eventually Princeton used a late 6-2 run to ice the first game at 30-24.
In the second set, the two teams battled back-and-forth to a 9-9 tie before Delaware ran off six straight points, led by a Greta Gibboney ace, a block from Dennehy, and a fierce kill by Kelly Gibson that sent at Princeton player tumbling head over heels. With a six point lead at 15-9, Delaware could not put away Princeton, as the Tigers battled hard and eventually evened the score at 28. After the two teams split the next four points, the Hens finally won the set, 32-30, following two straight Delaware points highlighted by a block from Erickson and Walsh.
After the intermission with the match tied at one game apiece, Princeton held an early 2-1 lead. It was the last time the Hens trailed during the third set.
Delaware quickly went on a four-point streak as the Tigers committed three straight errors and Greta Gibboney fired her second ace of the match. Princeton once again answered, eventually knotting the game at 6-6.
The two teams were evenly matched for the next 11 points with Delaware holding a slim 11-10 advantage. Then, the Blue Hens took control of the match for a moment, notching six straight points and nine of the next 11 to grab a 20-12 lead.
Once again, though, Princeton would not go away. The Tigers rallied from an eight-point deficit to tie the match at 26 led by three kills from Lindsey Ensign and two by Parker Henritze.
Despite the late Tiger surge, Delaware would not be denied, recording four of the last five points to seal the 30-27 victory and send the match into the decisive fourth game.
Princeton (21-4) was led by Ensign, who had 19 kills and six blocks. Henritze and Sheena Donohue also chipped in with 17 kills apiece, while Jenny McReynolds added 31 digs.
The loss snapped the Tigers' 20-match winning streak that dated back to September 14.
Delaware was aided by Stephanie Barry, who posted her seventh 30-dig performance of the season after recording a match-high 35. Megan Welch also recorded 51 assists and an ace.
The Blue Hens advance to the second round of the Tournament where they will meet St. John's, who posted a 3-0 victory over Long Island in their first-round match. That contest is slated to begin at 8 p.m. tomorrow in the Carnesecca Arena.