The Quinnipiac women’s volleyball team had its first stumble in its five game homestand with a loss on Wednesday to Siena, the final score 3-1. The Bobcats fall to 4-14 (2-4 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) and the Saints improved to 7-10 (6-1 MAAC).
Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week Emma Ogden spread out the offense well with her 32 assists, and also put up three service aces and two blocks. Ogden’s main target was fellow freshman Katie Urycki, who led the team with 10 kills. Freshmen Allison Leigh and Jamie Paolucci also contributed eight kills apiece.
The stars of the day for the Saints were outside hitters junior Rachel Stoklosa and senior Taylor Akana, who had 12 and 17 kills, respectively.
The first set was all Saints, with Akana getting five kills in the set, and freshman setter Hayley Howell had 15 assists in the first frame. Siena ended the set on a 14-7 run to win it, 25-15.
The Bobcats came out fighting in the second set, out-hitting the Saints .280 to .233. The score was locked at 14 going into a Quinnipiac timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Saints came out firing, ending the set on an 11-4 run to win the set 25-18.
The Bobcats turned the momentum in the third set. Led by Urycki, who had four kills and two digs, the Bobcats pulled out the third set 27-25. The Bobcats had 12 kills in the set, and freshman Allison Leigh contributed with three big blocks later on in the set. After trailing 24-22, the Bobcats scraped away the deficit and pulled out the set.
In the fourth and deciding set, the Bobcats started off hot, leading 6-3 and holding an 11-10 lead. Like every other set, Akana and the Saints went on a hot streak to win the set 25-14.
The Bobcats did show some spurts of momentum during the game, specifically in the third set, but they couldn’t pull it together for a long period of time.
“The momentum that we had in the third set, with all the blocking and excitement, needs to be brought for the entire game,” Quinnipiac head coach Kristopher Czaplinski said.
Czaplinski was disappointed about the loss, but was ready to look onward.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and focus on this weekend,” Czaplinski said.
The Bobcats finish up their homestand with two MAAC games against Niagara and Canisius this weekend.
