UMBC

Jessie Folk recorded a .500 hitting percentage, 12 kills, and four digs in the win over Stony Brook.

Stony Brook, N.Y.—The UMBC women’s volleyball team (12-13, 5-4 AE) edged Stony Brook (12-14, 5-4) by a score of 3-2 (29-31, 30-28, 23-30, 30-18, 16-14) on Sunday afternoon at the SBU Sports Complex.  The Retrievers are back over .500 in conference play for the first time since October 6, after they defeated Maine.  The Retrievers have won their last two matches, while the Seawolves have lost their last two.

The Retrievers were slow to start in the first set, trailing the Seawolves by as much as six points, but gained momentum towards the end of the set to knot the score at 29-29.  UMBC could not hold on for the set point however, as Stony Brook came out victorious 31-29.

The second set saw 15 ties and seven lead changes, with neither team leading by more than four points.  The Retrievers were down 24-20, but battled back to tie the score at 28-28 and went on to win the set, 30-28. 

The Retrievers held the advantage for most of the third set, until Stony Brook gained the lead 18-17 and won the set, 30-23, after three service aces.

The fourth set saw the Retrievers gain control with a score of 18-14, and end the set on a 12-4 run to win the point, 30-18 and force a fifth set.

In the fifth and decisive game, Stony Brook seemed in control early on. The Seawolves built a four-point lead at 10-6 off an Amy Oleksiej kill. The Retrievers went on a 4-0 run to tie the game at 10-10 behind kill by freshman outside hitter Ashley Oscars. The two teams traded points until Stony Brook earned a match point at 14-13. UMBC called a timeout and freshman outside hitter Sarah Fillmore came up with a match-saving kill to even the game back at 14-14. Senior middle blocker Jessie Folk served out two straight points and clinched the match when her serve clipped the tape and fell to the court for the ace as UMBC won the fifth and final set, 16-14.

Oscars led the Retrievers, who had three players with double-digit kills, with 16 kills, three digs, and four service aces.  Freshman setter Kira Giles recorded a double-double in the match with 54 assists and 14 digs while Folk added 12 kills and four digs, for a .500 hitting percentage.

Morgan Sweany led the Stony Brook attack with 24 kills and seven digs, Noelle Bay added 17 kills and 15 digs, Gulce Nazli Dikecligil totaled 15 kills and 17 digs and Oleksiej tallied 11 kills in the loss.

The Retrievers return to competition when they host Binghamton on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2:00 p.m. and then take on Navy in their last non-conference match on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 6:00 p.m. in the UMBC RAC Arena.