Saints Edge Vikings in Five

Boston, Mass. -- Emmanuel College battled back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Salem State 3-2 at Andy Yosinoff Court on Thursday night. The Saints won 19-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-23, 20-18 to improve to 6-8 on the season. The Vikings are now 3-12. 

Genevieve Kempster (Hopedale, Mass.) led Salem State with a game-high 18 kills, 19 digs and four aces. Eva Haralabatos (Melrose, Mass.) posted a career-high 33 assists and 13 digs while Pamela Diaz (Lynn, Mass.) added 21 digs. Abigail O'Connor (Gilford, N.H.) added 12 kills on a .370 percentage.

Anna Caristi (North Attleboro, Mass.) finished with a career-high 24 kills while hitting .320 from the floor. Seana Phillips (Middleboro, Mass.) and senior Caitlin Tannian (Reading, Mass.) finished with career-highs of 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Junior Rachel Coleman (Peabody, Mass.) added a career-high 59 assists. 

In the opening set, the Vikings used a combination of strong hitting and service aces to claim the set win. Salem State jumped out to a 10-3 advantage early in the set and maintained their distance through the 25-19 set win. The Vikings committed just one error, paired with five aces, to win the set.

The second set featured a strong offensive display by both teams, with the Vikings hitting .263 with 13 kills and the Saints hitting .324 with 15 kills. Salem State created enough breathing room late in the set as senior Miranda Quinlan (Billerica, Mass.) capped off a 25-23 set win for the Vikings.

In the third set, the Saints came out strong, thanks to Caristi igniting the Emmanuel offense. Caristi finished the set with eight of the Saints 16 team kills in the third, as Emmanuel cruised to a 25-14 set win.

In the fourth set, the Saints and Vikings battled through the set, eventually getting to 23-23 with the match in the balance. The Vikings would commit back-to-back errors, giving the set to Emmanuel 25-23, as the sides headed for a decisive fifth set.

In the deciding set, Salem State looked poised to take the win, leading 13-10, but the Saints battled back as extra scoring was needed in the final set. With the set tied 18-18, it was again back-to-back error that finished the match, as Emmanuel came back from two-sets down, taking the fifth set, 20-18.