Box Score Farmingdale State - 3; Merchant Marine - 2 (22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 16-25, 15-8)
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. | The Farmingdale State College volleyball team ran its winning streak to six matches Tuesday night at the Walter A. Lynch Sports Center, celebrating Senior Night in grand style with a 3-2, Skyline Conference triumph over visiting U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 16-25, 15-8).
Prior to the match, senior middle blockers
Chrissy Hobson (Bellport, N.Y.) and
Kalena Ricketts (Cambria Hts., N.Y.), along with outside hitter
Madeline Stanley (Massapequa Pk., N.Y.), were recognized by the FSC team for their contributions to the program.
Ricketts tied the Rams' (11-10, 8-2 Skyline) single-match program record with 28 kills (Cathryn McLean, vs. Polytechnic; Oct. 8, 2007), while also setting the Skyline's single-match high this season in the category. Freshman
Doly DeJesus (Geneva, N.Y.) stepped up off the bench with a match-high three service aces along with five back-row kills, with junior middle blocker
Mikayla Profeta (W. Islip, N.Y.) chipping in with seven kills and three assisted blocks. Stanley registered five points on the night, including four kills and two assisted blocks, while Hobson matched Profeta with three assisted blocks. FSC passed 74 digs against the Mariners (12-10, 8-2 Skyline), including a career-best 18 by junior libero
Lana Ventura (Pt. Washington, N.Y.), 15 by sophomore
Delaney Keegan (Lake Grove, N.Y.) and 11 by freshman setter
Sarah Rende (Wantagh, N.Y.) -- who dished out 39 assists directing the home side's offense.
After the teams split the first two sets, the third frame saw the visitors flip a 15-10 deficit into a 19-17 advantage. From there, back-to-back assisted blocks Profeta and Stanley commenced a frame-ending stretch that featured four ties -- including as late as 22-22. Hobson and Keegan set a block to push the hosts ahead by one, before a kill by Ricketts and a Rende service ace gave the 2-1 edge to the Rams.
The Mariners sent the match to a fifth and deciding set with a nine-point margin in the fourth frame, and the final stanza saw them start ahead by a 5-3 count. After FSC forced a side out, DeJesus collected two aces in a seven-serve stint to push her squad ahead 10-5, with Ricketts flooring two kills during the span and the server adding one back-row kill of her own. Four more serves by Rende later in the set pushed Farmingdale State ahead 14-7, before a long serve after a USMMA side out sent the home team to the victory.
Head coach Kellie Block's Rams will next wrap up their regular season schedule with a Skyline match Thursday at Mount Saint Mary College, with first serve from the Kaplan Center in Newburgh, N.Y., taking place at 7 p.m.
