WASHINGTON, D.C. - Catholic opened up Landmark Conference play with a well-rounded effort, defeating Drew 3-0 on Friday evening. The Cardinals improve to 12-4 on the season and 1-0 in Landmark Conference action.
Heather Stout's team hit .298 for the match, registering 40 total kills with five players logging at least five kills in the match.
Erin Faughnan hit .818 for the match with nine kills on 11 swings while
Halie Murphy was the lone Catholic player in double digits with 10 kills on the night, hitting .258 in the process.
Tanya Sichling (8),
Olivia Blondin (7) and
Grace Guerin (5) also contributed to the offensive effort while
Sydney Sheppard dished out 34 assists.
Four different Cardinals recorded at least 12 digs in the match led by 16 from
Gaby Hernandez-Ferraiuoli. Blondin (15), Sheppard (12) and
Brynne Burgess (12) covered tons of ground on the defensive side of the ball.
The first set proved to be the diciest of the three for Catholic as they fell behind 18-14 before a 7-1 run pushed the odds in their favor. Murphy and Guerin recorded kills to bring Catholic within one before Faughnan tied the match at 19-19 with a kill. Back-to-back aces from Hernandez-Ferraiuoli put Catholic up 21-19, but Drew responded back, getting a kill from Emily Shirk to tie the set at 21. The Rangers, however, were caught out of rotation, giving the Cardinals the lead and Catholic took advantage, taking the next three points to win the first set.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 12-5 lead in the second with Sichling nabbing three early kills. Later in the set Faughnan and Blondin recorded kills to extend Catholic's lead to 19-11. Drew used a late run to get back within five, but Sichling and Blondin picked up a point each to push the Cardinals back ahead by seven. A service error from the Rangers finished off a 25-19 set win for Catholic.
Set three started out all Catholic with Stout's bunch jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead on three kills from Blondin. However, the Rangers fought back, cutting the lead to 12-10 after a Teeya Desgoutte kill, but the Cardinals picked up the next three points and led 15-10. Now leading just 17-14, Catholic took the next seven points with Blondin on the serve for six of them. Guerin earned three points in the run with two kills and a block.
Catholic returns to action tomorrow with a tri-match on Franny Murray Court. Catholic opens the day vs. Scranton before finishing with Marymount (Va.).
