UNH Starts Off the Harvard Invitational With a 3-0 Sweep Over Merrimack

Friday, September 6

Cambridge, Mass.

4 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-2,0-0America East

Merrimack

0-4,0-0MAAC

New Hampshire

Merrimack

UNH Starts Off the Harvard Invitational With a 3-0 Sweep Over Merrimack

9/6/2024 6:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Singleton Records First Ace as a Wildcat

Baton Rouge, La. – The University of New Hampshire volleyball team defeated Merrimack 3-0 in the first match of the Harvard Invitational on Friday.

The set scores were 25-18, 25-23, 25-22,

Freshman Setter Ellery Singleton (Menlo Park, Calif.) recorded three aces including the first of her career on top of a team-high 16 assists. Senior captain outside hitter Hannah Serbousek (Fort Collins, Colo.) led UNH's attack with 12 kills for 12 points. Graduate Student captain Kelly Kaufmann (Raleigh, N.C.) was next up with eight kills and 9.5 points on a .571 hitting percentage; she also had three block assists. Junior libero Avery LePore (Franklin, Tenn.) anchored the back row with 15 digs.

UP NEXT

UNH is back in action Saturday, Sept. 7 when they continue the Harvard Invitational against Stonehill at 10 a.m. and finish out vs. Harvard at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats home opener is Thursday, Sept. 19 (6 p.m.) against UConn.

How it Happened:

SET 1

A service error along with two kills from Junior right-side hitter Meredith Hohnbaum (Indianapolis, Ind.) and one from Serbousek put UNH on top of the scoreboard early (4-2)
The two teams traded points until a Merrimack attack error and kill from senior captain Shea Purcell (Shaker Heights, Ohio) put the 'Cats up 10-8.
Merrimack went on a 6-3 run to retake the lead at 13-11. However, graduate student Captain Kelly Kaufmann (Raleigh, N.C.) and an attack error quickly knotted the score.
Hohnbaum recorded a kill and LePore knocked down an ace to give the Wildcats a 15-14 lead that they would hold for the remainder of the match.
- UNH won set one 25-18.

SET 2

Set two was much more competitive as there were eight ties and four lead changes.
Kaufmann got things going with a kill set up by Sophomore Jessica Shattles (Ponte Verda Beach, Fla.).
Serbousek's two kills and a bad set by the Warriors gave the 'Cats another early lead.
Merrimack was quick to answer as they took control with a 12-6 run to set UNH four points back.
A kill from senior Captain Marisa Armer (Bradenton, Fla.) sparked a 9-4 momentum surge that included five consecutive points from UNH.
- The run by the Wildcats consisted of an ace from Shattles, three kills from Armer, and one from Kaufmann who also recorded a block to put the 'Cats up 20-17.
Once again UNH would not give up this lead and an ace from LePore along with kills from Hohnbaum and Serbousek would give them a 2-0 set lead (25-23).

SET 3

A back-and-forth beginning to the third set tied the score at four.
- Purcell recorded her first ace of the season and Serbousek tallied two kills.
UNH scored four consecutive points capped off with Singleton's first ace of her college career.
Kills by the captains, Serbousek and Purcell put the 'Cats up 10-6.
Merrimack fought back to eventually tie the score at 14 but it was not enough as the Wildcats held their lead for the distance of the match.
- A Serbousek kill and back-to-back Singleton aces ran UNH away from the tie score.
An authoritative Kaufmann kill put the cap on the match as the Wildcats won the final set 25-22.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

UNH finished with the edge in hitting percentage (.300 to .190), kills (40-37) and aces (8-5).
The Wildcats recorded nine blocks to Maryland's four.
New Hampshire also led in digs, 49-45.

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