Box Score BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – The Medgar Evers women's volleyball team fought valiantly and nearly forced a fourth set but they were turned back by Sarah Lawrence in straight sets, 25-15, 25-14-, and 26-24, Thursday night in their 2015 season debut.
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Junior Kalifa Roberts (San Fernando, Trinidad/Bishop Antsey) totaled a team-best eight kills along with four digs for the Cougars (0-1). Senior setter AnnMarie Benberry (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fashion Industries) topped the team with eight assists and added three service aces, while sophomore Tiffany Benjamin (Guyana/Bishop Loughlin) chipped in with four kills and three aces of her own in a losing cause.
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Seven Green led the Gryphons (1-0) to victory with a game-high nine kills and also had four service aces. Â CJ Kelley paced Sarah Lawrence with her setting by tallying 17 assists and five aces, while Yolanda Lyne Cando added six kills.
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The first set saw Medgar Evers gain an early 5-4 lead, but the Gryphons would ratlle off 10 of the next 11 points to go up 14-5. After fighting back to within five points, Sarah Lawrence would close out with six straight points to take the set.
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In the second stanza, Sarah Lawrence jumped out to an early advantage, but kills by Roberts and Benjamin helped cut the deficit to three. What followed was an offensive flurry by the Gryphons paced by two Kelley service aces and two Green kills as they took the set 25-14.
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There were eight tie scores and four lead changes in a wild third set. The Cougars would move ahead early set with a Benberry service ace and a Roberts kill. After being tied at 4 apiece, Medgar Evers erupted with a 9-1 run, including forcing five attack errors, to go up 13-5. However, the Gryphons would respond to even the game back up at 14-14.
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After trading the lead a few more times, the Cougars broke a 21-all tie with a Benjamin kill, a Naomi Chandler (Port of Spain, Trinidad/Bishop Anstey) service ace and a Sarah Lawrence attack error. With one point left to force a fourth set, the Gryphons would respond with six straight points again to complete the three-set sweep.
Medgar Evers looks to bounce back from this opening night defeat when they travel to West Hartford, Connecticut in a multi-match with the College of St. Joseph and Mount Holyoke College Saturday afternoon. First serve against the Blue Jays is set for 2:00 p.m.
