Skip To Main Content

Scoreboard

Clarkson University Athletics

StilwellTara2015action
0
Clarkson University CU 20-5
3
Winner Calvin College CALVIN 20-3
Clarkson University CU
20-5
0
Final
3
Calvin College CALVIN
20-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Clarkson University CU 21 26 16 (0)
Calvin College CALVIN 25 28 25 (3)
0
Clarkson University CU 20-6
3
Winner Hope College HOPE 18-5
Clarkson University CU
20-6
0
Final
3
Hope College HOPE
18-5
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Clarkson University CU 16 16 20 (0)
Hope College HOPE 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | October 17, 2015

Clarkson Falls to Last Two Defending National Champions in Calvin and Hope

Grand Rapids, MI – Despite adding a third 2014 AVCA All-American to the list of the women walking gingerly for the Clarkson University Volleyball team, the Golden Knights performed well against the last two NCAA Division III National Champions, but ultimately fell to both Calvin College and Hope College in the Midwest Invitational on Saturday.

The Golden Knights, ranked 18th in the latest AVCA Coaches' Poll, fell to 20-6 overall. Clarkson lost to Calvin College in three sets (25-21, 28-26, 25-16) and then was later defeated by Hope College in three sets (25-16, 25-16, 25-20).

"It's easy to look for excuses on a weekend where all we want to ask is 'what if,'" Clarkson head coach Johan Dulfer said. "But the reality is that this team fought for what they're worth and got some great experience. We are taking home a great win over Eastern that was earned with all heart and passion. And we are also taking home the desire to come back. Clarkson Volleyball is better for having had this difficult weekend and we have learned our future is bright."

Against Calvin, the Golden Knights started off in the hole (9-3), but quickly rallied back to take a one-point lead (12-11) thanks to some strong serving from Tara Stilwell and Sierra Rhoades. Unfortunately that stretch came to an end as Calvin scored eight of the next 10 points. Clarkson would rally back with a run of its own to tie the set at 20-20, but a service error was followed by back-to-back kills from Calvin as the hosts took the first set. In the second set, Clarkson edged out to an early 6-2 lead but saw that advantage evaporate quickly and faced a two-point deficit following consecutive attack errors and a kill from Calvin. But from that point on, neither team could gain much of an advantage and the set required extra points to be decided. Trailing 25-24, Rachael Aird and Sierra Rhoades delivered back-to-back kills to put Clarkson in a position to take the set. Clarkson appeared to have the set won, but a strong dig from the Calvin libero gave the Knights a kill, and the momentum swung back in favor of the home team as they won 28-26.

Sophomore Rachael Aird finished with 10 kills and five errors on 20 swings, and she got stronger as the match went on considering she had no kills and two errors in her first four attempts (10-3-16, down the stretch).  Sierra Rhoades finished with seven kills on 25 swings while Jillian Saenz contributed 20 assists. Tara Stilwell led the defense with nine digs, and joined Aird and Savannah Peters on the service line with three aces each.

Against Hope it appeared as if the shorthanded Knights ran out of gas offensively as the team hit just .019 in the match with 26 kills and 24 errors in 108 swings, falling in three straight sets 25-16, 25-16, 25-20. Clarkson had modest leads in each of the three sets (1-0 in the first, 3-1 in the second, and 7-5 in the third), but each time errors made it difficult for Clarkson to enjoy much flow offensively. In the third set with the game tied at 8-8, Hope scored nine straight points with eight of them coming on miscues by Clarkson.

Sierra Rhoades led the team offensively with nine kills and Lauren Hutchinson produced six kills, two aces and seven digs. Defensively, freshmen Tara Stilwell and Sophia Holms recorded 19 and 11 digs, respectively. Jillian Saenz had 19 assists. 
Print Friendly Version