Knights netters knock off Chestnut Hill College

by TOM UTESCHER

Balanced scoring and effective defense by host Arcadia University proved too much for the Chestnut Hill College Griffins in last Monday’s volleyball bout, as the Scarlet Knights prevailed in three straight games. With half-a-dozen different players scoring at least six points, the hosts improved their record to 12-10 overall, while CHC slipped to 6-11 on the season.

The Griffins fell out of contention quickly in the first game, as Arcadia scored the first three points and then raced ahead, 11-2. An Arcadia miscue and a block by CHC’s Caitlin Rickey accounted for those first two points for the visitors, who later picked up points on tips by Lauren Brody, Lisa Doria, and Lacey Robinson.
Arcadia, with four kills from Bridget Hunsinger and three from Sam Schadd, was never in any real danger, though, wrapping up the game by a score of 30-7.

Flush with adrenalin from their big win in the opening round, the Knights seemed to try to hit a winner every time they touched the ball in game two. They succeeded often enough, but a number of their hits and serves went out-of-bounds or into the net, and they gave up a dozen points on errors to the Griffins. Chestnut Hill also scored on two hard, well-placed serves by Lauren Jackson that never came back across the net, and on hits by Jackson and Jennifer Wilmot.

The visitors were up 4-2 early, then the teams were tied at 5-5 before Arcadia strung together two hits by Rachel Derr and one by Schadd to take over the lead for good. The Griffins hung close up to 15-12, but the Knights got some separation with a 6-1 run and went on to win 30-16.

CHC’s Erica Marta Anagnos scored early points for the visitors on a hit and on a pass to an open spot, and a few minutes into the third game the Griffins were still in the running, although they trailed 13-7. Arcadia’s Alex Cann, a sophomore from California who pounded down five of her seven total kills during the second game, sat out the third round, but the Knights were still able to make a clean break with a run of seven straight points that put them up 20-7.

For CHC, Lacey Robinson scored on a pass, while Wilmot served up an ace and Rickey sent over a serve which Arcadia mishandled for another point, but the Knights still prevailed, 30-10, clinching the match. Schadd, a freshman outside hitter, registered a total of nine points for the winners on eight hits and a tip.