Susquehanna Wins First Match with Help from a Special Friend
READING, Pa. -- Freshman defensive specialist Kelly O'Brien (Mastic, N.Y./Eastport-South Manor) and sophomore setter Shona St. Angelo (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport-South Manor) racked up match highs of 36 digs and 32 assists, respectively, to lead the visiting Susquehanna University women's volleyball team to its first win of the 2009 season, 3-1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-16) over non-conference foe Albright College, at George C. Bollman Center on Sept. 9.
O'Brien and St. Angelo were not without help though. Susquehanna (1-5 overall) received inspiration to top Albright (2-1 overall) from orange ribbons tied to their shoes, representing the favorite color of Sarah Flannery.
Flannery, a young woman who suffers from thymoma--a rare cancerous tumor that has partially surrounded her heart--will begin classes at SU in 2010 and officially join the university's women's volleyball team at that time.
In the meantime, the orange ribbons--emblazoned with the initials TCB (for Flannery's motto "taking care of business")--are performing for the Crusaders in her stead.
St. Angelo tied for the team high with two service aces and added 15 digs. O'Brien served one ace.
Junior outside hitter Lindsey Jankiewicz (Easton, Pa./Freedom) led SU with 15 kills and also served two aces. Jankiewicz had seven digs and an assist as well.
Senior middle hitter Madeline Hals (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) contributed 10 kills, two digs and a block for the Crusaders.
Freshman middle hitter Kaylee Monga (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) and sophomore outside hitter/middle hitter Natalie Cicioni (Frackville, Pa./North Schuylkill) tied for the team high with two blocks. Monga also had seven kills and two digs, and Cicioni had one kill and four digs.
Freshman defensive specialist Dana Kreutzer (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) was the other Crusader who served two aces. Kreutzer also picked up seven digs and one assist.
Next Matches: Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 12-13, at 2009 Washington & Jefferson Holiday INNvitational
