THE BASICS

-Score: American International College 3, Assumption University 0

-Records: Assumption (8-11, NE10 6-7), AIC (24-6, NE10 11-2)

-Location: Springfield, Mass. (Henry A. Butova Gymnasium)

-The Lead: The No. 8 seeded Assumption University women's volleyball team fell to the No. 1 seeded Yellow Jackets of American International College (AIC) in the Quarterfinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship on Tuesday evening. This was the best conference finish for the Assumption women's volleyball program in over a decade. They wrapped up the season with an 8-11 mark overall and 6-7 record in the NE10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a big lead early, with an 8-2 advantage in the first 10 points of the match thanks in part to a pair of kills each by graduate student Andrea Serra-Rosa and sophomore Mai-Lani Hernandez. Sophomore Naomi Eckert-Rivera set up each of those slams, and added an ace as well.

-AIC continued to add to its lead, with freshman Paola Soto-Burgos joining the offense with three scoring shots as part of a stretch that saw the Yellow Jackets get ahead 20-9, and ultimately win the set 25-20.

-Much like the first set, AIC earned an 8-2 lead in the second, thanks to a 6-0 run that featured two more Serra-Rosa scores. Assumption picked up five of the next six, including kills from first years Anna Dean (Monroe, Mich. / St. Mary Catholic Central) and Carly Goodhue (Danvers, Mass. / Danvers), to cut into the lead. Soto-Burgos had a retort with three kills in a 5-0 run to push the Greyhounds back.

-The Yellow Jackets followed the formula through to another set win, in spite of a few small runs for the Greyhounds, and freshman Ulrika Blomgren punctuated the 25-16 win with three kills out of a 4-0 stretch, including set point, to give AIC a 2-0 lead.

-AIC started the third set strongly with a 5-2 lead, but the Greyhounds played like a team with its back against the wall. A kill by first year Alexis Distasio (Windermere, Fla. / Dr. Phillips) finished a stretch of five points out of six going to Assumption, pushing the Greyhounds into the lead for the first time in the match, and the two teams fought through to the score of 17-17.

-Blomgren and Serra-Rosa started AIC's final run to victory with a pair of kills, and a 5-0 run put the hosts up 24-18. Though Assumption made a desperation play to earn one final point, Serra-Rosa landed the last score, giving the Yellow Jackets the sweep with the 25-19 third-set win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

-Dean, Distasio, and Ruthie Ridderhoff (Chandler, AZ / W.T. Woodson) all put up five kills in the match for the Greyhounds. Junior Kyra Belden (Hollis, N.H. / Hollis-Brookline High School) added 19 assists while first year Barbara Illig (Delaware, OH / Bishop Ready) led the pack with seven digs. Senior Alana Hruska (Marlborough, Conn. / RHAM) added six block assists in the setback.

-Serra-Rosa led all players with 18 kills in the victory for AIC. Naomi put up a game-leading 43 assists and Amanda Rodriguez tallied 12 digs.

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