NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Freshman outside hitter Katy Henchy collected 31 kills and 16 blocks to help lead the University of Hartford volleyball team to a 2-1 weekend at the CCSU Blue Devil Invitational, closing out the regular season tournament schedule. Henchy was one of five leading hitters for the Hawks with senior Sareeta Nethersole heading up the group with a weekend-high 51 total kills.

The Hawks opened up the tournament dropping a five-set (20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 11-15) decision to the host Blue Devils before sweeping NJIT (25-16, 16-25, 25-14. 25-16) and Providence (21-25, 22-25, 25-9, 25-23, 16-14) on the final day.

Nethersole finished two of the three matches at CCSU with double figure kills including a weekend-best for all players of 24 against CCSU on Friday night. She added nine against NJIT and closed out the weekend with 18 against the Providence Friars. Henchy led the team in the first match on Saturday putting down 10 kills against NJIT.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

·          Senior Sareeta Nethersole led five Hartford hitters with a weekend-high of 51 kills, while also second overall on the team with 41 digs. She finished two matches leading the team, closing out the first contest of the weekend with 24 kills against CCSU and adding 18 against Providence.

·          Freshman Katy Henchy contributed 53 points to the Hawks during the Blue Devil invitational, finishing second overall with 31 kills, leading the team with 16 blocks and second overall in serving with six aces.

·          Senior setter Jackie Tamburri finished two of the three matches at CCSU with a double double. Her first of the weekend came against CCSU where she finished with a weekend-high 54 assists while stopping 11 of the Blue Devils attacks. In the final match of the weekend, Tamburri finished with 48 assists and 14 digs for her team-leading 12th double double of the season.

·          Nethersole and Tamburri were each name to the CCSU All-Tournament Team, the third -straight weekend the pair has been honored.

·          For the weekend, the Hawks finished with 37 total blocks, seven more than their opponents combined for against them. Included in the 37 total blocks was a season-high of 16 against Providence, led by Henchy who contributed to six of the 16 blocks. Individually, three players pooled together double digit kills, led by Henchy's 16. She was joined by junior Chandler Goodwin with 12 and senior Kathryn Gawrych with 10.

·          As a team, the Hawks tied their season-high with eight service aces in the first match on Saturday against NJIT. Overall for the weekend, Hartford finished with 20 aces led by junior Alicia Tripoli who finished with seven total.

MACTH BREAKDOWN

VERSUS CCSU

·          Senior Sareeta Nethersole finished the opening match of the tournament with a weekend-high for all Hartford hitters of 24 kills, her 10th straight match with double figure kills, which leads all players.

·          As a team, the Hawks finished with seven more kills than the Blue Devils. Joining Nethersole in leading the team was sophomore Corinne Horanzy who finished with 12 kills. Senior Kathryn Gawrych led the teams overall hitting efforts with a .333 average, totaling nine kills and one error in 24 attempts.

·          Defensively, four players amassed double figure digs, led by sophomore libero Paola Llerndi who collected a career-high 24 digs, which led both teams.

·          The Hawks also combined for nine total blocks, led by junior Chandler Goodwin who finished with a career-high seven, the second most for an individual in 2014.

 VERSUS NJIT

·          As a team, Hartford outhit the Highlanders, finishing the match with a .173 overall hitting average on 42 kills and 20 errors in 127 attempts. Leading the overall hitting efforts, for the second-straight match, was Gawrych who finished with a .286 average on five kills and one error.

·          Freshman Katy Henchy was the only Hawk to finish in double figures, collecting 10 kills and combining for a .219 hitting average.

·          Nethersole and Henchy led the Hawks defensive efforts with the senior leading in digs with 12 total while Henchy was the second Hawk of the weekend to finish with seven blocks, one solo and six block assists. As a team, Hartford finished with 12 kills, the third match of the season with double figure blocks.

 VERSUS PROVIDENCE

·          Nethersole led the Hartford hitters for the second time over the tournament, finishing with 18 kills and a .281 hitting average with two errors in 57 attempts.

·          Gawrych led Hartford hitting efforts with a .391 average with 10 kills and only one error in 23 attempts. Her leadership led to a .229 team hitting performance with 55 total kills in 166 attacks.

·          Nethersole was one of five Hawks who finished with double figure digs, stopping 14 of the Friars attacks for her ninth double double of the season. Leading the defense was Llerandi who finished with 17 digs.

·          As a team, the Hawks finished with 16 total blocks, a season-high for the team. Eading the was was Henchy who finished with six total.     

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·          SR's Nethersole and Tamburri were named to the CCSU Blue Devil Invitational All-Tournament Team, the 3rd-straight weekend with the honor.

·          The Hawks finished both of Saturday's matches with double figure blocks including a season-high 16 blocks against Providence.

·          FR Katy Henchy led Hartford's blocking efforts for the weekend with a team-high of 16 total blocks, two solo blocks and 14 block assists.

·          Nethersole opened the weekend with 24 kills, her 10th straight match with double figure kills, the longest rally by any Hawk in 2014.  

UP NEXT:

The volleyball team will begin their 12-match America East schedule on Friday, Sept. 26 hosting conference rival Stony Brook. The Hawks and Seawolves split their matches last season with each team winning on its home court. Hartford finished with a three-set sweep over the Seawolves in their last meeting. The Hawks and Seawolves are scheduled for a 6 p.m. start at the Hartford Sports Center.