TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University volleyball team squared off against the #4 Northeastern Huskies today in the CAA Semifinals. The Tigers (28-1, 15-1 CAA) swept the Huskies (14-13, 10-6 CAA) 25-19, 25-22, 30-28.
Key Stats vs Northeastern:
- Towson totaled 17.5 blocks across three sets with four Tigers having five or more total blocks.
- The Tigers held the Huskies to a .034 hit percentage, which included a -0.03 percentage in the second set.
- Towson totaled 41 assists today for the second straight match.
How It Happened vs Northeastern:
- The Tigers jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the first set. The teams traded kills until Northeastern went on a 7-1 run to take a 12-9 lead.
- Towson countered with a 14-3 run behind five kills from Victoria Barrett to have a 23-15 lead. The Huskies went on a 4-1 run, but Nina Cajic's kill gave the Tigers a 25-19 first-set win.
- Northeastern got out to an 8-3 lead in the second set. The teams traded two-point runs, then Towson tied the set after going on a 7-2 run. The Huskies responded with a 5-1 run to earn a 17-13 lead.
- Towson wouldn't go away and went on an 8-2 run to take a 21-19 lead. The Huskies were able to tie the score for the seventh time, but the Tigers scored the final three points, which included an ace by Sydney Stewart to win the second set 25-22.
- The third set started with both teams going back and forth, with Northeastern gaining a small lead. Towson scored four straight points, but the Huskies countered with five consecutive points to have an 11-8 lead.
- The Tigers responded with a 5-1 run, highlighted by Fay Bakodimou's ace, to have a 13-12 advantage. Towson maintained a small lead until the Huskies went on a 4-1 run to take a 22-21 lead.
- The teams continued to go back and forth, but the Tigers fought off set point with Cajic's kill to tie the score at 24. Towson earned set point after a bad set by Northeastern, but the Huskies prevailed and tie the score after Defne Arliel's kill.
- Towson earned three more set points, but the Huskies kept staying alive by tying the score each time. Barrett sealed the win by scoring back-to-back kills to send the Tigers through to the CAA Championship for the fourth time in a row.
Inside the Numbers vs Northeastern:
- Victoria Barrett led all players with 15 kills and surpassed 300 kills this season. She added nine digs and four total blocks.
- The Tigers with a season-high 17.5 blocks, which ranks as the second most in a three-set match across Division One matches this season. Only #2 San Diego had more in a match with 18.
- Aayinde Smith registered nine total blocks, while Irbe Lazda and Lydia Wiers each had seven blocks.
- Rachel Hess had a team-high 17 digs extending her streak of double-digit digs to 11 matches.
- Katie McCracken finished with a team-best 22 assists and eight digs, while Trinity Burge had 16 assists, three digs and one ace.
- Fay Bakodimou registered nine kills, seven digs, five total blocks and a team-high two aces.
- Towson won its 100th match all-time at SECU Arena.
- The Tigers have made their four consecutive CAA title match in as many years.
Next Game:
Towson will face #3 Delaware tomorrow night in the CAA Championship at SECU Arena at 6 p.m.
