FLUSHING, N.Y. – Looking to bounce back from Friday's losses, the Queens College volleyball team quickly shook off nerves on day 2 of the Long Island Invitational against Nyack College Warriors and Post University Eagles Saturday afternoon.
The Knights swept the Warriors 3-0 to earn their first win of the season before a five-set thriller against the Eagles tested the young squad's drive to pick up a 3-2 victory to sweep the Saturday doubleheader at home.
Match Three vs. Nyack (25-14, 25-15, 25-23)
After a see-saw first set with Queens holding a slim 15-13 lead, senior
Alexis Deodat (Riverview, FL) swung the momentum the Knights' way with two kills and service aces as Queens went on a 9-0 run to take a 24-13 lead. A Warriors service error would give the home side a 25-14 first-set victory.
The Warriors opened the second set on a 3-0 before rookie
Lindsay Osterhoudt (Orlando, FL) stopped the run as the Knights went on a 5-0 run to take a 5-3 lead. Queens used various runs to stay ahead and never looked as sophomore
Christina Franco (Lynbrook, N.Y.) led with a 5-0 run as she served up two service aces for an 18-8 advantage and never looked back to take the second set 25-15.
One set away from clinching their first victory of the season, the third set saw the warriors stay within striking distance. With the Knights leading 14-11, Nyack went on a 3-0 run to tie the set 14-14 before back-to-back kills from rookie
Kendall Conrad (Carrolltown, PA) gave the home side a 16-14 advantage.
Leading 17-16, Queens went on a 4-0 run as Conrad tallied two more kills to take a 21-16 lead. After each side traded service errors, Franco notched her first double-digit kills of the season to put Queens one point (24-17) away from victory.
But the Warriors would test the nerve of the young squad as they went on a 6-0 run as they looked to extend the match into the fourth set. But a Nyack service error would give the Knights their first victory and sweep of the season.
Match Highlights
- Franco led the match with 11 kills and four service aces.
- While sophomore Despina Boudouris (Athens, Greece) tallied a match-high 29 assists and eight digs in the victory.
- Deodat, Osterhoudt, Conrad, and Elizabeth Cerullo (Saint James, N.Y.) combined for 21 kills in the victory.
Match Four vs. Post (25-18, 17-25, 25-17, 19-25, 20-18)
Playing their fourth match in two days, Queens quickly put a 9-2 lead in the first set using a 6-0 run. But the Eagles would fight back as they used a 5-0 run of their own to cut the deficit down to 9-7. A kill by rookie
Taylor Smith (Temecula, CA) would stop the Eagles' run as the Knights went on a 3-0 run to take a 12-7 lead and never looked back to take a 25-18 first-set victory.
Despite taking an early 4-0 lead to begin the second set, the Eagles would fight back and used various runs to stay close. After a Deodat kill put the Knights up 16-15, Post used an 8-0 run to tie the match with a 25-17 second set victory.
After the Eagles continued their momentum from the second set jump ahead 2-0 in the third set, the Knights used a 9-1 to take a 9-3 lead. After Franco put the home side up 12-4, they would never look back to take a 2-1 match lead with a 25-17 third victory.
Playing their seventh set of the day, the Knights came out sluggish in the fourth as the Eagles used a 7-0 run to jump ahead 10-4 which the Knights could not recover from. The visitors would force a deciding fifth set with a 25-19 fourth set victory.
The Knights would win the coin toss and chose to service first in the deciding set as they opened the fifth set with a 3-1 run. But the Eagles used two Knights errors in their 4-0 run to take a 5-3 lead.
Both sides would exchange points as the Eagles held onto a slim two-point advantage before switching sides.
Trailing 8-6, two Eagles errors would allow the Knights to tie the set 8-8 before three straight Eagles kills put the visitors up 11-8.
Facing a three-point deficit, Deodat and Franco led the way with a 5-1 run to take a 13-12 lead. As Post used a 3-1 run to take a 15-14 lead, the Knights kept their composure for every match point the Eagles would get to.
With the Eagles holding serve at 15-14, 16-15, 17-16, 18-17, Queens would find their way back and tie the match. With the match at 18-17, a kill by Osterhoudt would tie the match and give service to the Knights with the match tied 18-18.
With Boudouris at serve, Queens would get a crucial block from rookies Osterhoudt and Conrad to take a 19-18 and their first lead since they led 14-13. The Greece native would clinch the match and move Queens to 2-2 on the young season with a service ace between two Eagles players in the backline for a thrilling 20-18 finale.
Match Highlights
- Deodat tallied her second double-double of the season with 12 kills and 12 digs.
- While Franco notched her first double-double of the season with 12 kills and 23 digs in the victory.
- Boudouris tallied a season-high 30 assists and nine digs.
- While rookie Ryann Frontera (Dripping Springs, TX) notched 25 digs, tying her career-high from Friday's season opener against New Haven.
UP NEXT: Head coach
Stefan Leger and his Knights return to action on Tuesday (8/30) evening as they travel to Orangeburg, N.Y. with a non-conference matchup against the Chargers of Dominican University. First serve is set for 6:00 P.M.
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).
