Dohr and Carius
October 6, 2021

Gators Block Utica to Earn E8 Win

ALBANY, N.Y. – A block from sophomore middle hitter Monalissa Carius (Hudson, NY/Hudson) and sophomore right side Sydney Dohr (Chatham, NY/Chatham) helped RSC defeat Utica 3-2 tonight.

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ALBANY, N.Y. –  With visiting Utica leading 14-13 in the decisive fifth set, Russell Sage College blocked the Pioneers' attack attempt to tie the stanza. Buoyed by the combo block from sophomore middle hitter Monalissa Carius (Hudson, NY/Hudson) (right) and sophomore right side Sydney Dohr (Chatham, NY/Chatham) (left), the Gators were able to pick up the 3-2 (16-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 16-14) Empire 8 Conference victory tonight in the Kahl Gymnasium.

The comeback conference win was a team effort.

Senior outside hitter Emma Parkington (Dalton, MA/Wahconah Regional) established career-highs of 22 kills on .206 hitting and 22 digs. The co-captain, who registered the 16th double-double of her career tonight, was one of three RSC players to eclipse double-digit kills. Senior middle hitter Celia Gagnon (Troy, NY/Ichabod Crane) contributed 15 kills on .367 hitting and three aces, while junior outside hitter Sydney Shepard (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) had ten. 

Sophomore right side Statia Walker (Schodack, NY/Maple Hill) dished out 44 assists and elevated 13 Pioneer attacks for her eighth double-double of the fall.

Five Gators (5-14/1-2 E8) reached double figures in digs in the win. Junior defensive specialist Elaina Moisidis (Albany, NY/Albany), the conference leader in the stat, led the quintet with 33. Parkington (22) sophomore outside hitter Katherine Jepsen (Hudson, NY/Hudson) (15), Walker (13), and sophomore defensive specialist Rylie Gray (Bombay, NY/Salmon River Central) (12) were the others.

The Pioneers (5-11/1-2 E8) had four players achieve double-doubles in the setback. Senior outside hitter Kurtstan Martin led the way with 14 kills and 11 digs. Junior outside hitter Eleanor Cepiel tossed in 12 kills and 18 digs, while the Utica setting duo of sophomore Madison Maggiore (22, 16) and sophomore Hannah Johnson (20, 15) combined for 42 assists and 31 digs.
 
After dropping the opening set, RSC got out to an 11-5 lead to help tie the contest. Trailing 21-17 in the third set, the Gators battled back with a 5-0 run to take the lead before falling.
 
Sage raced out to another quick start in its bid to extend the game, going up 8-1. The Gators, which led by as many as eight, 18-10, forced Utica into -.043 hitting to force a deciding fifth set.
 
The final frame featured 12 deadlocks as each team looked to garner the conference triumph. The Pioneers were looking at match point at 14-13, but the block from Carius and Dohr knotted things at 14. Shepard and Gagnon followed with kills to complete the comeback.
 

Looking ahead, both teams are in action on Friday night. Sage visits Keuka at 7:00 pm. Meanwhile, Utica hosts Elmira at 6:00 pm.

Notes: Parkington and Gagnon began the week among the E8 leaders in points per-set… Parkington ranked eighth with 3.05 points per-set, while Gagnon was ninth with 3.02 points per-set... Parkington recorded her 500th career kill on Saturday, September 11 at SUNY New Paltz…The co-captain, currently with 648 career kills, has 16 career double-doubles, six of which came this season…Moisidis, who registered her 500th career dig on Saturday, September 11 at SUNY New Paltz, tops the E8 with 360 digs…She ranks second in the conference with 4.80 digs per-set...The RSC libero currently has 737 digs in her time as a Gator…Walker has contributed eight double-doubles this fall.

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