NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College women's volleyball team lost two Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) games on Saturday, dropping to Simmons in the first match, 3-0 and Norwich in the second match, 3-2.

THE BASICS

MATCH 1: Simmons 3 | Albertus Magnus 0 BOX

MATCH 2:  Norwich 3 | Albertus Magnus 2 BOX

RECORDS: Albertus (6-14, 1-6 GNAC) | Norwich (5-11, 4-5 GNAC) | Simmons (11-7, 7-0 GNAC)

MATCH 1 VS. SIMMONS

Set 1: Simmons 25, Albertus Magnus 12

Set 2: Simmons 25, Albertus Magnus 15

Sete 3: Simmons 25, Albertus Magnus 11

HOW IT HAPPENED

Joismar Aviles (Hatillo, P.R.) started the first set with a kill to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead early on before Simmons scored the next four to make it a 4-1 game. The Falcons rebounded with the next three on kills from Aviles, Nathalie Wallace (Rocky Hill, Conn.), and Colleen Edwards (Clinton, Conn.) to tie the game back up. Albertus tied the game up one more time at 7-7 after another kill from Edwards and an error by the Sharks. From there, Simmons took control finishing on an 18-5 run with two kills apiece from Chelsea Simmons and Hannah Pridgeon. 

Albertus jumped out to a 5-2 lead to start the second set behind an ace from Shalese Gordon (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Amanda Zdru (Stratford, Conn.) and a kill from Edwards. The set stayed competitive from there as the teams tied on nine different occasions, the last being at 15-15. However, the Sharks scored the final ten points, including three aces from Simmons to take a 2-0 match lead. Edwards finished with three kills in the second set.

In the final set, the Sharks jumped out to a sizable 12-3 lead as April Beatty had three aces early on. Albertus got to within 13-8 as Aviles had three straight kills, but once again the Sharks were able to go on a big run, this time a 12-3 run to end the match.

LEADERS

Albertus

Joismar Aviles - 6 Kills

Shalese Gordon - 14 Assists

Amanda Zdru - 12 Digs

Shalese Gordon - 3 Blocks

Amanda Zdru - 2 Aces 

Simmons

Kat Simeonidis - 8 Kills

Kat Simeonidis - 16 Assists

Carolina Rodrigues - 4 Digs

Meghan Doxsee and Chelsea Simmons - 2 Blocks

April Beatty - 6 Aces 

NOTEWORTHY

It was the sixth time Aviles has had at least six kills in a match this season.

MATCH 2 VS. NORWICH

Set 1: Albertus 26, Norwich 24

Set 2: Norwich 25, Albertus 19

Set 3: Norwich 25, Albertus 22

Set 4: Albertus 25, Norwich 22

Set 5: Norwich 15, Albertus 9

HOW IT HAPPENED

In a highly-competitive first set, the Falcons jumped out to a 4-1 lead led by kills from Yarelis Torres and Edwards, who each had a kill. The two teams tied for the first time at 5-5 and would tie four more times over the next eight times until the Falcons were able to get some separation at 13-9 after two more kills from Edwards and an ace from Gordon. Albertus extended its lead to five points on multiple occasions during the set, but the Cadets stormed back after turning a 23-20 deficit to a tie at 23-23. Norwich had set point after an error on the Falcons, but after the Cadets returned the favor, a kill from Gordon and an ace from Torres gave Albertus the first set. Albertus had 11 kills in the first set.

During the second set, Norwich took an early 7-3 lead and never relinquished it as Albertus kept it close for most of the set. With the Cadets up 16-14, they rattled off the next five points, including two aces from Autumn Parkhurst to take a commanding 21-14. The Falcons got within three at 22-19 after scoring five of the next six points, but the Cadets took the final three points to tie the match. Pelaez had four kills in the set for the Falcons to go with an ace.

Albertus came bursting through the gate in set three, taking a 10-3 lead, including six straight points. Pelaez led the early charge with five kills early on. The Cadets answered the 6-0 run with six straight points of their own to get within one, Albertus held off the Cadets, preventing them from taking a lead until late. The Falcons were up 20-16, but the Cadets again scored six straight as Abby Kanaga and Lillie Ells each had two kills to go with two aces from Giovanna Fruci. Albertus crept back twice within before the Cadets scored the final two points to take a 2-1 lead. Pealez had seven kills in the set.

Norwich opened up set four with a 6-1 lead, but Kanishjoary Marrero-Martinez (Schenectady, N.Y.), seeing her first action of the match gave the Falcons a spark, scoring on three straight plays and bringing Albertus back even with the Cadets, 7-7. Down 9-8, Albertus then scored five straight behind two more kills from Pelaez, one from Marrero-Martinez, and a block from Lynch and Gordon. The Cadets rallied to take the lead at 21-19, but the Falcons scored six of the final seven points, capped by a kill from Pelaez to tie the match and send it to a decisive fifth set. Marrero-Martinez had five kills in the set for the Falcons.

Norwich took control right away in the final set, taking a 10-3 lead, taking advantage of five errors early on by Albertus and two kills from Kanaga. Albertus got within five on three occasions, but were unable to get any closer. Marrero-Martinez had two of the five kills for the Falcons in the set.

LEADERS

Albertus

Majo Pelaez - 21 Kills

Shalese Gordon - 26 Assists

Amanda Zdru - 23 Digs

Elizabeth Lynch - 7 Blocks

Shalese Gordon - 3 Aces

Norwich

Lillie Ells - 14 Kills

Ava Nihill - 41 Assists

Sam Lebruska - 14 Digs

Leah Mathewson - 5 Blocks

Giovanna Fruci - 8 Aces

NOTEWORTHY

• The seven kills from Marrero-Martinez matched a career-high. She has had six or more kills in three of her last four matches.

• Pelaez matched her career-high with 21 kills, which she set just three matches earlier against Anna Maria in a win.

• Gordon's 26 assists were the fifth time this season she had at least that many in a match this season.

• Lynch's seven blocks were a career-high.

UP NEXT

The Falcons welcome the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) to The Nest on Wednesday, October 18 at 7 p.m.