FRANKLIN, Ma. - The Albertus Magnus women's team took care of business, defeating Dean, 3-1 on Wednesday night in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play.
Reigning GNAC Player of the Week, Majo Pelaez (Armenia, Colombia) led the way for the Falcons with a career-high 29 kills.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 3 | Dean 1
Set 1: Albertus Magnus 25, Dean 23
Set 2: Dean 26, Albertus Magnus 26
Set 3: Albertus Magnus 25, Dean 20
Set 4: Albertus Magnus 26, Dean 24
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (7-17, 2-9 GNAC) | Dean (6-18, 2-8 GNAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set was representative of the entire match as the teams swapped leads seven times to go with 11 ties even after Dean scored the first five points of the set. With the Falcons trailing 22-20, they rattled off the final five points, including a kill and an ace from Pelaez, a kill from Shalese Gordon (Bridgeport, Conn.), and a kill from Elizabeth Lynch (Stratford, Conn.). Pelaez had six of the team's 13 kills in the first set. Colleen Edwards (Clinton, Conn.) and Lynch each had three kills in the set.
Albertus appeared destined to win the second set, turning a 17-17 tie into a 22-17 lead after two more aces, and a kill from Pelaez, and an ace from Paula Matheus (Tunja-Boyaca, Colombia). However, the Bulldogs rallied, finishing on a 9-2 run as Emily Ball and Sari Albury brought them back with two kills apiece during the deciding stretch. Pelaez had eight kills in the set, including five in the first nine points for the Falcons.
In set three, the Falcons took a 17-11 lead and got some breathing room after a 7-2 run midway through the set as Wallace, Pelaez and Nathalie Wallace (Rocky Hill, Conn.) each had kills during the run. The Bulldogs got within one at 21-20, but kills from Joismar Aviles (Hatillo, Puerto Rico) and Matheus gave the Falcons the 2-1 match lead. Aviles provided a spark for Albertus in the third set as she and Pelaez each had five kills in the third set.
Once again, Albertus appeared to be in control, breaking away from Dean in set four and taking a 24-19 lead behind the best set of the season from Pelaez, but the Bulldogs rallied, scoring the next five to tie the match at 24-24. But Pelaez put the team on her back in the final two points getting kills off assists from Alyssa Valentine (Bristol, Conn.) to give the Falcons the win.
LEADERS
Albertus
Majo Pelaez - 29 Kills
Assists - 36 Assists
Amanda Zdru (Stratford, Conn.) - 28 Digs
Paula Matheus - 3 Blocks
Majo Pelaez - 4 Aces
Dean
Janai Price - 11 Kills
Carly Rettberg - 20 Assists
Janai Price - 25 Digs
Sary Alburi - 6 blocks
Janai Price - 2 Aces
NOTEWORTHY
- Gordon set a career-high with 36 assists, besting her previous best of 34.
- Zdru's 28 digs tied her for her second most this season.
- Matheus set a career-high with seven kills and tied a career-high with three blocks.
- The Falcons are now 5-1 all-time against Dean
UP NEXT
The Falcons will host a tri-match against GNAC rivals Lasell at 11 a.m. and Rivier at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 28
