Seton Hall University
USF
Pirates Down USF for 10th Straight
9/23/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Four Pirates registered double-figures in kills as the Seton Hall women's volleyball team won its 10th straight match with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22) victory over USF on Sunday.
The win improves Seton Hall to an impressive 13-1, matching its best start to a season since 1992. Its 10-match win streak is its longest since 1996.
Sophomore Stacey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) notched her team-leading ninth double-double of the season with 11 kills and 14 digs.
Simona Sekulova (Auckland, New Zealand) led the Pirates and matched her career-high with 13 kills. Amanda Hansen (Pewaukee, Wisc.) also registered a career-high in kills with 12. The freshman also posted a team-best .500 attack percentage. Fellow freshman Molly Grammer (Center Valley, Pa.) was the fourth Pirate in double-figures in kills. She finished with 10 and a team second-best .375 attack percentage.
Shelbey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.), fresh off her fifth triple-double of the year, tallied a match-high 34 assists to go with eight kills and seven digs.
The match was hard-fought with both teams reaching at least 20 points in all four sets.
Seton Hall (13-1, 2-0) led for most of set one. The Pirates took a 13-8 lead, but USF scored five straight to cut the margin to one point. Seton Hall again stretched its lead to five, at 18-13, but again the Bulls went on a 6-1 run to tie the set at 19. The Pirates would save their best play for the final moments of the first set however, and scored six of the final seven points to win, 25-20.
Hansen was the star for Seton Hall in set two as the freshman recorded seven of her 12 kills in the second frame. As a team, the Pirates held a slim lead throughout until an 8-1 run gave them a commanding 22-14 lead. The Bulls would score five straight and cut the lead to just three, but Seton Hall recovered and won set two, 25-20.
The Pirates trailed for most of set three, but had a chance to win it late. Seton Hall fell into a 13-8 hole early on, but scored seven straight points to take a 15-13 lead. The advantage was short-lived however, and USF stormed ahead on a 7-1 run to retake the lead, 20-16. The Pirates pulled to within one at 22-21, but USF scored three of the last four points to force a fourth set.
Despite the close final score, the Pirates never trailed in set four. They jumped out to a commanding 9-1 lead thanks in part to four kills by Stacey Manthorpe. Seton Hall increased its lead to 10 on a kill by Morgan DeVries (Grand Rapids, Mich.), 18-8. USF then scored score six straight to cut the Pirate lead to four. USF's Valerie El Houssine served back-to-back aces to tie the score at 22, but Seton Hall recovered and scored the final three points of the match.
The Pirates will return to action on Tuesday, September 25 when they host Saint Peter's at Walsh Gym. Match time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
