NASHUA, N.H. - The Norwich University women's volleyball team fell to Rivier University in straight sets, 3-0 (18-25, 13-25, 9-25), on Friday evening at the Muldoon Center.
Aylei Connolly (Westfield, Mass.) paced the Norwich attack with four kills while adding a team-high eight digs. Grace Davie (Lynnfield, Mass.) chipped in three kills, a service ace, and four digs, while Ainslee Vargas (Rusk, Texas) directed the offense with 12 assists and contributed six digs. Elexis Powell (Charlotte Hall, Md.) and Vanessa Whitmill (Fremont, Calif.) each added two kills for the Cadets.
Defensively, Connolly's eight digs led the team, followed by Vargas with six. Davie and Kelsey Slane (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) each registered four digs as Norwich finished with 27 total digs.
The Cadets traded points with the Raiders throughout much of the opening set. Kills from Whitmill, Davie, and Connolly helped Norwich stay within striking distance, while a service ace from Davie trimmed the deficit to 16-13 late in the frame. The Raiders used a strong closing stretch to create separation and secure a 25-18 first-set victory.
Norwich started the second set in impressive fashion, scoring the first four points. Slane delivered a service ace during the run as the Cadets capitalized on several Rivier errors to take an early 4-0 lead. The Raiders answered with momentum of their own, erasing the deficit before the teams continued to trade points through an 8-8 tie.
Rivier created separation from there, while Powell recorded a pair of kills during the frame. The Raiders ultimately claimed a 25-13 win to move ahead two sets to none.
The Cadets opened the third set with a point off a Rivier attack error before kills from Connolly, Davie, Isabella Vasapolli (Pepperell, Mass.), and Whitmill accounted for Norwich's offensive production. Rivier's serving pressure proved difficult to overcome, however, as the Raiders built a comfortable advantage and closed out the match with a 25-9 third-set victory.
Rivier finished the match with a 30-12 advantage in kills while collecting 16 service aces. Sam Driend led the Raiders with seven kills, Emma Zeblisky added six kills and two aces, and Lily Seibel recorded a match-high 24 assists along with nine digs.
Norwich totaled 12 kills, 12 assists, three service aces, two team blocks, and 27 digs in the contest.
The Cadets return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when they hit the road to take on SUNY Plattsburgh at 6:00 p.m.
