Lightfoot Sets All-Time Digs Record; Volleyball Tallies Wins Over Buffalo and Navy to Conclude the Big Orange Tournament

Sunday, September 20

Syracuse, N.Y.

12:30 PM

University of New Hampshire

7-7

University at Buffalo

1-10

Buffalo

UNH

Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot has tallied 1,434 digs in her prolific career as a Wildcat.

Photo by: Elise Austin-Washburn

Lightfoot Sets All-Time Digs Record; Volleyball Tallies Wins Over Buffalo and Navy to Conclude the Big Orange Tournament

9/20/2015 7:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot (Clarkston, Mich.) became the program's all-time digs record holder as the University of New Hampshire volleyball team closed out the Big Orange Tournament on Saturday with victories over the University at Buffalo (3-0) and United States Naval Academy (3-2).

The set scores against Buffalo were 25-23, 25-21, 25-22. In the match against Navy, the line score read 25-16, 23-25, 19-25, 25-16 and 19-17. UNH improves to 8-7 in the non-conference tilts.

Lightfoot clinched sole possession the program-milestone in the first set against Buffalo. The senior co-captain now has 1,435 digs in her prolific career as a Wildcat.

Senior outside hitter Tori Forrest (Powder Springs, Ga.) paced the New Hampshire offense with a match-high 18 kills on the strength of a .381 hitting percentage in the win over Buffalo. She also added six digs and matched her career-high in service aces with three. Junior setter Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) orchestrated the attack with 39 assists. Lightfoot patrolled the court, registering 16 digs to anchor the backline. Junior middle blocker Demi Muses (Orangevale, Calif.) chipped in eight kills, 14 digs and three blocks.

Forrest posted a double-double effort of 16 kills and 17 digs in the triumph over Navy. Senior right side hitter Brenna Buckwalter (Evergreen, Colo.) and Muses bolstered the offense with termination tallies of 12 and 10, respectively. Severtson quarterbacked the offense by distributing 51 helpers while pitching in eight digs. Lightfoot scooped up 21 digs to pace the defensive effort. New Hampshire recorded six aces from the service line, led by a career-high three service aces from sophomore defensive specialist Katie Rebrovich (Burleson, Texas).

Both Forrest and Severtson were named to the all-tournament team.

New Hampshire jumped out to a 10-5 lead of the gate to start the match against buffalo. Kills by senior outside hitter Abby Brinkman (Brecksville, Ohio) and Forrest followed by an ace from Severtson forced the Bulls to call timeout, looking up at a 12-6 deficit. Not phased by the Buffalo timeout, UNH extended its advantage to 18-11 that was capped off by a service ace from senior outside hitter Maggie Kenney (Merrimack, N.H.). Leading 20-12 late in the first set, the Wildcats saw their eight-point edge reduced to two as the Bulls engineered an 8-2 surge. However, New Hampshire halted the rally with slashes from senior middle blocker Cassidy Croci (Sylvania, Ohio) and Kenney to take the opening frame.

After dropping set one, Buffalo constructed a strong response in the second game with a 10-6 start. The Bulls extended their advantage to six, forcing the 'Cats to use a timeout. UNH swiftly narrowed the deficit back down to four on back-to-back terminations from Forrest. New Hampshire and Buffalo traded blows as the score rose to 18-14. The Wildcats clawed their back to even the set late at the 20 mark as the Bulls' bench yelled time. UNH would not slow down, putting the finishing touches on a 11-3 run to take set two, punctuated by four straight kills.

After two solid wins in the first two sets, the Wildcats had a harder time putting away the Bulls in the third stanza. Neither side could pull away as the set was a see-saw battle of tie scores and lead changes. Knotted at 21 apiece, Forrest snapped the deadlock with a kill followed by an attack error on the Bulls. UNH took advantage of the opportunity, turning to Forrest again as she ripped the decisive point from the service line, forging the sweep.

In the contest against Navy, UNH was first to hit the 10-point threshold and bolted to a 10-5 advantage to begin the second match. A service ace by sophomore outside hitter Courtney Bowman (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) ignited a 5-0 scoring barrage as the Wildcats extended their lead to double figures late in the frame. New Hampshire preserved a minimum nine-point cushion for the remainder of set to take the first stanza.

The Mids held the early lead in set two, jumping out to a 10-5 advantage. However, the Wildcats swiftly erased the deficit, tying the score at the 10 mark. New Hampshire and Navy traded points for the majority of the frame as the sides were tangled at 23 apiece. Navy landed the ensuing point, forcing UNH to huddle and facing set point. However, the 'Cats could not tie the score again as the Mids tallied set point and evened the match entering the locker rooms.

The two sides traded the first six points to begin the third stanza, but Navy hitting miscues gave UNH the early edge, 9-6. New Hampshire doubled its cushion with a 6-3 surge and looked up at a 15-9 lead. However, the Mids retaliated with an 11-1 scoring barrage to take a 20-16 edge into the waning moments of the frame. Croci snapped the scoring spell for the 'Cats with a kill, but the Mids were able to carry their momentum to capture set three.

It was another close battle in the early goings of set four as the two sides notched nine points apiece to start. Forrest and Kenney broke the tie as the Wildcats chalked up five consecutive points to go up, 14-9. The Mids closed the gap to within three, 19-16, in attempt to close out the match. However, the blue and white utilized two kills from Muses bolstered by two aces from Rebrovich to close out the fourth set on a 6-0 run.

The eliminating set started with the Wildcats carving out a 5-3 edge as the Mids burned a timeout early. The huddle proved to be useful for Navy, rattling off five straight points to take an 8-6 lead midway through the deciding frame. After trading sides, New Hampshire managed to tie the score at 9-9 as Forrest and Muses landed kills. Neither side would budge as the marathon match required extra points to decide a winner. Featuring 11 tie scores in the stanza, the score rose up to 17-17 as both sides fought off match points. UNH took an 18-17 lead as Forrest added to her kill tally to put the blue and white in position to clinch match point. Muses sealed the deal for the 'Cats by hammering the match-deciding kill on the ensuing exchange to seize the five-set thriller.

UNH is back in action Friday, Sept. 25 (7 p.m.) to open up America East play at home against the University of Hartford.

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