Lyons connect for 110 kills in seven sets

Postgame interview with head coach Craig Letourneau

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College women's volleyball team posted a pair of non-conference victories today at Emerson Gymnasium as the Lyons hosted St. Joseph's College (Maine) and Eastern Connecticut State University for a tri-match. The Blue and White blanked the Monks, 3-0, by scores of 25-19, 25-16 and 25-20 in match one and capped off the night with a thrilling 3-1 victory over the Warriors by scores of 30-32, 25-22, 25-17 and 25-22.

Offensively, freshman Gaby Gryko (Moraga, Calif./Campolindo) registered 23 kills on 57 total attempts for a .246 hitting percentage in seven sets played (3.29 kills per set). Sophomore setter Deirdre Wilson (Aptos, Calif./Aptos) facilitated the attack with 82 assists (11.7 per set) in seven sets played to go along with eight kills, four service aces, 20 digs and three block assists.

Classmate Elise Waelder (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma) contributed on all ends of the floor with 17 kills (2.43 per set/seven sets), six assists, three service aces, 27 digs and two block assists. Sophomore libero Robyn D'Agostino (Three Bridges, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) notched 20 digs (2.86 per set/seven sets), while freshman Anna Strock (Centerville, Mass./Barnstable) recorded 14 digs (2.33 per set/six sets) to lead Wheaton's defensive effort.

WHEATON 3, ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE (MAINE) 0
25-19, 25-16, 25-20

The Lyons tallied double-digit kills in each set including a match-high 16 putaways in game two as Gryko blasted five kills and sophomore Arieanne Creighton (Brookline, N.H./Hollis Brookline) chipped in with four. Wheaton hit .253 in the match and never trailed after the conclusion of set one. Gryko led the way with 12 kills, while senior Lindsay Tebbetts (Gilmaton, N.H./Gilford) had eight kills on 14 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage.

WHEATON 3, EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE 1
30-32, 25-22, 25-17, 25-22

Wheaton saw four student-athletes compile double-digit kills including sophomore Kendall Jacobs (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch), Waelder, Gryko and Creighton. Jacobs led the quartet with 15 putaways, Waelder sent home 12 kills, Gryko had 11 and Creighton rounded out the group with ten.

Set one showcased 21 ties and ten lead changes before the Warriors pulled away with a 32-30 victory. Tied at 30-30, Eastern Connecticut State capitalized on an attacking error by Wheaton to go up 31-30 and quickly finished off a back-and-forth set one triumph with a kill from junior Allie Henry (Middletown, Conn./Mercy).

The Lyons responded, however, in set two despite the 32-30 loss in the opening game receiving eight kills combined from Jacobs and Gryko. Wheaton locked down defensively as well recording 16 digs and three blocks.

Eastern Connecticut continued to build off its momentum in the early going of set two as the Warriors ran out to a 7-2 lead. Wheaton head coach Craig Letourneau put a stop to the momentum with his first timeout and the Lyons answered out of the break with six-straight points and never looked back.

In set three, the Blue and White connected for 17 kills (.233 hitting percentage) and manufactured 23 digs – the Lyons second highest total on the night – for a 25-17 triumph. Defensively, Waelder and Wilson recorded five digs apiece, while Jacobs had two, Strock posted four, D'Agostino tallied three, junior Megan Donahue (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) bumped up two attacks and Gryko contributed one dig. Offensively, sophomore Taylor Matook (Exeter, R.I./Exeter-West Greenwich) powered home a team-leading five kills in the third set and eight total in the match.

All told, Wheaton finished with a season-high 84 digs over four sets shattering the Lyons previous season-high of 77 digs set against Keene State College earlier this year.

Wheaton (12-10, 3-3 NEWMAC) hosts Coast Guard on Tuesday, October 15 for a NEWMAC clash at 7 p.m. St. Joseph's dropped both of its matches on the day to fall to 15-6. Eastern Connecticut State went 1-1 on the evening to move its record to 10-11.

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