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Intercollegiate
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Athletics
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2008 Gators Volleyball
Dennis dominates, Gators gain Stults' first win
Box Score
9/8/08
Chestnut Hill, MA - After dropping the first game,
the Gators squeaked out a thriller behind 14 digs, eight kills and no
attack errors from Amanda Dennis, earning
Lyndsey Stults her first win as Pine Manor coach Monday night in
Chestnut Hill, 3-2 over Newbury.
Dennis ignited the Gators (1-1) first win of the match, posting three solo blocks, two digs and two serve aces in Game 2, which Pine Manor took 25-17. The 6-1 middle hitter twice hammered down spikes on assists from Kelly Pirzl in Game 3, as the Gators coasted, 25-15.
“Amanda was just a presence on the court, all over the court,” said Stults. “Nothing got by her. I think she really threw off any defensive plan Newbury had because she was such a defensive threat [at the net].”
Despite five digs and two blocks from Dennis in the fourth frame, the Nighthawks (1-2) jumped out to a 21-9 lead and ran away with Game 4, 25-16. The deciding match, however, was quite the contrary, as Dennis’ supporting cast chipped in and sealed the deal for the Gators.
Spotting Newbury two points in Game 5, Stults’ club took its first lead at 4-3, and Dennis’ lone block of the game forced Nighthawks coach Jamie Terenzi to take a time out at 7-6. A pair of Newbury errors and four straight Gators points followed the break, and an Andrea Lavigne kill led to another time out at 12-7.
It was again to no avail. Rachel Mastine’s spike was the exclamation point, and Lavigne’s ace capped an 8-1 run to take Game 5, 15-7, giving Stults her first win as a head coach.
“Lavigne also really stepped up in Game 5 when we needed her,” Stults said. “She just kind of ignited that fire.”
Following the game, Stults gave credit to her team for getting going when the going got tough. “It feels good, but it’s not about me,” Stults said of the victory. “They were the ones with the hard work. There was nothing I could do in Game 5.”
The win is Pine Manor’s second straight against their foes from Brookline. The Gators continue their three-game homestand on Thursday against Becker at 7 p.m. Stults’ club opens GNAC play on Saturday at 11 a.m., as St. Joesph (CT) comes to Chestnut Hill.