Purchase, NY
(Oct. 29, 2016) – The Purchase College women's volleyball team concluded their 2016 season Saturday at home, recognizing senior
Ashley Calder during the team's Skyline Conference tri-match with Farmingdale State College and the College of Mount Saint Vincent.
Calder (SR/Merrick, NY) was honored in between the second and third matches of the day. FSC would capture two wins, besting the hosts in the opener and CMSV in the middle game (25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 25-22). The Dolphins then defeated Purchase 3-0 (25-11, 25-11, 25-11).
However, the highlight of the day for the Panthers was the senior ceremony for Calder, a first-year player, who has made an impact for Purchase at libero.
Surrounded by friends and family, Calder was acknowledged by her teammates and the fans.
"Ashley joined the team late this year, but has made an impact in a rebuilding campaign … Ashley has a .333 attack percentage and has been a standout defensively with over 65 digs, but her greatest contribution has been her play at libero, a position on the court that often gets overlooked," said
Sports Information Director Bobby Ciafardini, who MCed the brief ceremony.
Calder is currently working on her senior project and is majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. The Merrick, NY native will be honored again during the program's annual awards banquet in April.
As for the tri-match, Farmingdale posted a 3-0 win (25-12, 25-10, 25-18) over Purchase.
In the opening set, the Rams were led offensively by the tandem of Julia Hande and Maia Cadle-Hinton, who each recorded three kills apiece. Hande added four of the team's nine assists. FSC also combined defensively for eight digs as a team.
For the Panthers,
Joetta Francis (FR/New York, NY) and
Kaitlyn Pillig (SO/Mamaroneck, NY) each tallied two kills in the first game. Libero Calder contributed a set-high four digs on defense, and
Maura Gribbins (SO/Buffalo, NY) had three assists in the opening frame.
FSC's game-two kills leader was Nicole Brand. She recorded four of the team's nine in the frame, as the Rams seized a 2-0 lead. Lauren Anne Strezenec added three assists and two digs.
For the hosts, Pillig netted two kills and three digs in game two. Calder also notched three digs to continue her strong play on Senior Night.
The Panthers rallied and played their best set in the third stanza, mounting a late comeback that just fell short. Purchase featured a more balanced attack in the finale, highlighted by two more kills from Pillig, three assists and five digs from Gribbins and six digs from captain
Cynthia Plackis (JR/Huntington, NY). The Panthers held a 17-13 margin in defensive digs for the set.
Strezenec helped the Rams close out the victory with three kills.
For the contest, FSC was paced by Brand and Cadle-Hinton (five kills apiece) and Strezenec (11 assists). Four players finished with five digs, accounting for 20 of the team's 30 in the opening match.
Cadle-Hinton led the way against the Dolphins in the middle game. She recorded 12 kills – a team-high. The match high went to CMSV's Tara Maloney (21 kills). Nicole Henderson added 32 assists in defeat. FSC's Hande had 22 assists in the 3-1 victory.
The Dolphins bounced back in the finale against Purchase, despite another solid effort from the hosts.
This time, it was Jacqui Johnston who lifted the offense. She finished with six kills in the 3-0 victory. The Panthers were led by Pillig and her four kills, four assists and seven digs.
