FLUSHING, N.Y. – Playing behind a loud and charged-up crowd Friday evening in their Dig Pink non-conference finale, the Queens College volleyball team battled back from a 0-2 match deficit to defeat the visiting Le Moyne College Dolphins inside Fitzgerald Gymnasium.
Sophomore
Despina Boudouris (Athens, Greece) led from the front as the Greece native notched her sixth double-double of the season with a career-high in 52 assists and 18 digs, while the offensive trio of senior
Alexis Deodat (Tampa Bay, FL), sophomore
Christina Franco (Lynbrook, N.Y.) and freshman
Kendall Conrad (Carrolltown, PA) combined for 44 of 61 kills on the night to defeat the Dolphins in an electrifying 3-2 five-set set win
(Set Scores: 23-25, 26-28, 25-20, 25-17, 20-18).
Recap (Final Score 3-2 23-25, 26-28, 25-20, 25-17, 20-18)
In a match that saw a combined 32 ties and 16 lead changes, Queens would have to battle in each set as they were tested to their full limits.
It was a back-and-forth first set as each team answered each other's multiple runs. With the Knights trailing 10-5, Franco tallied five kills in a 7-1 run as Queens took a 12-11 lead.
But the Dolphins would rally with a 5-3 run to take a 16-15 lead. After Conrad tallied two kills in the Knights' 3-0 run for an 18-16 lead, Le Moyne would end the first set on a 9-5 run to take a 1-0 lead with a 25-23 first-set victory.
Queens took a 6-3 lead to begin the second set before the Dolphins started a see-saw second set. But as the Knights took a 15-9 lead, an 11-3 run by Le Moyne would see the visitors take a 20-18 lead.
Trailing by two, Queens used a 5-1 run as they took a 23-21 lead looking to tie the match 1-1.
But the Dolphins would have enough in them as the Knights committed five attacking errors to fall behind 2-0 dropping the second set 28-26.
Trailing 2-0, Franco would take the match into her hand as she notched a kill to start a 6-0 run combined with two service aces to take a 6-2 lead.
Having taken the lead, the Knights never let up as they answered every run by the visitors with multiple runs of their own.
As Le Moyne trimmed the home side advantage down to 12-11, Queens tallied three blocks in their 5-0 run for a commanding 17-10 lead.
But the visitors would not go away quietly as they tallied a 7-1 run to bring the score down to 18-17.
Holding onto a slim lead of 18-17, Conrad and junior
Anjeline Arnakis (Bayside, N.Y.) combined for a 3-0 run to take a 21-17 lead.
But the Dolphins would trim the lead by two 21-19 before Conrad flexed her muscles as the rookie tallied the final four kills hitting .400 to give Queens a 25-20 third-set victory and cut the match down to 2-1.
The fourth set would see both teams trade points but with the Knights leading 9-8, a 9-1 run by the Queens would catapult the home side to an 18-9 advantage.
Once again Le Moyne would tally a 4-0 run but with the Knights hitting .231 in the fourth set compared to the Dolphins' .027, Queens would tie the match 2-2 with a 25-17 fourth set victory.
With Queens playing their fourth fifth set match of the year and holding a 2-1 record in five-set matches on the season, the match was posed for a thrilling finale tied 2-2.
The Dolphins began the fifth set with a 2-0 lead before rookies
Lindsay Osterhoudt (Orlando, FL) and Conrad stepped up for a 3-0 run to take a 3-2 lead.
Le Moyne would stay ahead as they went on a 7-2 run taking a 9-5 lead. Trailing 9-5, Franco tallied two kills in a 5-2 run as they cut the trimmed the deficit down to 12-10.
But two Knights attacking errors would put Le Moyne on match point with Queens down 14-10 before a kill by Deodat stopped the bleeding. Freshman
Ryann Frontera (Dripping Springs, TX) notched back-to-back service aces before Conrad notched a solo block to tie the match 14-14.
Queens would rally behind two match points before a kill by sophomore
Alicia Cervera Sospedra (Valencia, Spain) tied the match 16-16. A bad set by the Dolphins would put Queens up 17-16 before the visitors notched a 2-0 run as they took an 18-17 lead.
Facing defeat at 18-17, two attacking errors would give Queens a 19-18 advantage before freshman
Sarah Munn (Torrance, CA) delivered the killing blow with a service ace towards the backline for a thrilling 20-18 fifth-set victory as Queens battled back to win their eighth match of the season.
Match Highlights
- Conrad tallied a team-high 16 kills and career-high three blocks.
- While Deodat notched 14 kills and a team-high six blocks.
- Franco tallied her seventh double-double of the season with 14 kills, and 12 digs to go with three service aces.
- Boudouris tallied her sixth double-double with career numbers as the Greece native notched 52 assists and 18 digs.
- Boudouris' 52 assists are the second most in program history and the most in a match since Jessica Yen tallied 55 assists against Georgian Court on October 27, 2015.
- Frontera tied a career-high in digs with 25 for the third time this season.
- Cervera notched seven kills to go with a career-high 11 digs, while Osterhoudt tallied six kills to go with three blocks.
- The 11 service aces are the most in a match this season.
UP NEXT: Head Coach
Stefan Leger and his Knights return to East Coast Conference on Sunday (Oct. 9) afternoon as they welcome the Redhawks of Roberts Wesleyan University to Flushing. The first serve set is noon.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), Twitter (@QCKnights), and Instagram (qcknightsny), women's volleyball (qcknightsvb).
