CSE UPSETS SUNY IT TO GO PERFECT 3-0 IN CONFERENCE PLAY

Saint Elizabeth took on the #4 seed SUNY IT needing a win to have any chance of making the NEAC playoffs.  The Eagles played their best match of the weekend in route to an upset win over SUNY IT 25-20,25-20,25-19.

Set 1 was a back and forth affair with both teams trading points and not being able to take command of the set.  Deadlocked at 11,  the Eagles benefited from a couple of Wildcat errors and a Katie Cooper kill to open a 3 point lead at 14-11.  Both teams traded points for most of the set and the Eagles found themselves up by the same 3 point cushion late in the set at 20-17.  A Subhana Wrights kill sandwiched between 2 Kareemah Muhammad’s kills and a key block by Amy Cooper and Kiara Francisco helped CSE close out set 1 on a 5-3 run that gave them a 25-20 set win.

The Eagles and the Wildcats wrote a similar script in set 2 early on.  Although the Eagles jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, SUNY IT took the lead at 5-4 before a Subhana Wrights kill tied the score again.  That kill sparked a 4 kill outburst by Saint Elizabeth, three by Kareemah Muhammad and 1 by Ireyah Stevens, to give the Eagles a 10-6.  A Katie Cooper kill and an Amy Cooper ace extended the Eagle lead to 6 at 17-11.  SUNY IT fought back to within 2 at 18-16 but an attack error out of the right side helped the Eagles go back on top by 20-17.  Jenae Goodson stepped up and hit for an ace as teammates Subhana Wrights and Kareemah Muhammad added key kills in a 5-3 run to close out the set 25-20.

Looking to end the match in 3 and earn their 20^th win of the season,  Saint Elizabeth started out putting pressure on the Wildcats from the onset of set 3.  The Eagles jumped out to a 6-2 lead as Subhana Wrights pounded out 3 kills in the run.  CSE extended the lead to 12-3 as Jenae Goodson slammed down 2 aces and Amy Cooper, Kareemah Muhammad and Subhana Wrights pounded out kills out of the front row.  Saint Elizabeth continued to pour it on as the squad extended the lead to 18-10, punctuated by an Ireyah Stevens and Kiara Francisco block.  After a Katie Cooper kill, the Eagles saw themselves within 5 points of a major victory at 20-15.  The teams traded points from that point forth, with the Eagles getting 2 kills from Kareemah Muhammad, and 1 kill from sisters Amy Cooper and Katie Cooper to complete the victory 25-19. 

Subhana Wrights and Kareemah Muhammad combined for 33 kills and a .250 hitting percentage to lead the Eagle offense.  Rachel Hausler had 20 digs and perfect 100% serve receive percentage to start the CSE offense.  Jenae Goodson paced the Eagles yet again from the service line with 4 aces and teammate Nashlly Sokoli added 2 as these 2 defensive specialists led the team again in aces.  Amy Cooper ran a balanced offense again, setting up 32 kills and adding 4 kills and 10 digs.  Sister Katie Cooper added 7 kills and had 15 digs in the win.

Saint Elizabeth earned their 6^th victory in the NEAC to finish over .500 for the first time in its history in the conference.  CSE also hit the 20 victory mark for the first time ever and extend their winning streak to a season and program history high 8 wins. 

The Eagles continue their road trip on Tuesday, October 23^rd at 7pm at the home of the Gothic Knights in the back end of a home and home matchup in which the Eagles won the first leg at home.