Vikings Deliver Comeback Win Over Cadets

Salem, Mass. – Salem State came back from a 2-0 deficit to claim an exciting 3-2 victory over Norwich on Thursday evening in non-conference volleyball action at Twohig Gymnasium. The Vikings earned the five-set win by scores of 22-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-14 and 16-14.   

Norwich (5-8) and Salem State (11-6) played a tightly contested first set as the two teams battled with neither side being able to pull away. With the score tied 20-20, a kill by Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) and a service ace by Julia Schroeder (Victorville, Calif.) gave the Cadets some breathing room. Back-to-back points by the Vikings drew Salem State to within 23-22, but an ace and kill by Oliver gave Norwich a 25-22 victory.

The Cadets built a 20-15 lead in set two following a service ace by Olivia Brown (Rye, N.H.). However, Salem State came back with four straight points as kills by Brynn O'Neill (Danvers, Mass.) and Haley Reed (Goffstown, N.H.) and two errors made the score 20-19. Once again Norwich was able to quell Salem State's momentum as Norwich outscored the Vikings 5-2 behind two kills by Michelle Zummo (Highland Mills, N.Y.) for a 25-21 win.

Oliver served on the first three points of the third set as Norwich raced out to a 3-0 lead. Two kills by Jasmine Severino (Lawrence, Mass.) and one from O'Neill helped the Vikings gain control as Salem State took a 5-3 lead. 

Norwich built a 16-11 lead behind six kills from Kathryn Farnum (North Andover, Mass.). Salem State was able to cut the deficit to 17-15, but three kills from Zummo helped the Cadets build a 21-17 lead. Salem State continued to battle as two attack errors and an ace by Emily Hennessey (Hanover, Mass.) and a kill by Maddi O'Connor (Hamilton, Mass.) made it 22-21. An ace by O'Connor and an attack error gave Salem State a 23-22 lead before the Vikings finished it off with back-to-back kills from Severino and Darcy McDowell (Goshen, N.Y.).

Poor hitting early (-.167) by Norwich gave Salem State an early 9-5 lead in set four. A kill and consecutive aces by O'Connor increased the advantage to 14-7. The Vikings built the lead to 19-10 as the Cadets continued to struggle, finishing with a -.185 hitting percentage as Salem State cruised to a 25-14 win.

Salem State led 5-2 in the fifth and deciding set, but following a timeout, Norwich scored eight of the next 12 points to take a 10-9 lead. Two kills by Farnum and multiple errors by the Vikings staked Norwich to a four-point margin. Attack errors by the Cadets and two kills by Severino put Salem State on top by a point before Norwich tied it on a kill by Schroeder. Severino once again delivered a huge point allowing Salem State to claim a 16-14 victory. 

Severino (Lawrence, Mass.) led Salem State with 13 kills and a .393 hitting percentage. Morgan Adams (Scotia, N.Y.) contributed with 33 assists, eight digs, and a .333 hitting percentage. Samantha Chaisson (Duxbury, Mass.) added 20 digs.

Farnum (North Andover, Mass.) contributed 15 kill, 16 digs and a .324 hitting percentage. Oliver had 39 assists and 12 digs and Zummo finished with 14 kills.