Fitchburg State Defeats Salem State

Jose Rodriguez '24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications

SALEM, Mass.-  Fitchburg State defeated Salem State 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, and 25-11) in MASCAC action on Wednesday evening at Twohig Gymnsium. The Falcons improve to 8-12, 2-4 while Salem State slips to 7-10, 2-4.

The match started as a back-and-forth battle between Salem State and Fitchburg State. The Vikings went on a 6-0 run that forced a Fitchburg timeout with the Vikings leading 10-7. Celia Carbone then set up Presley Shairs to extend the lead to 12 to 7.

However, the Vikings' lead evaporated as Fitchburg State tied the game at 15. Late in the set, Stephanie Sardella tied the game, 18-18 with her fourth kill for the Falcons. The game was 21-20 in favor of Fitchburg State before Salem State rallied as a kill by Shairs put the Vikings on top 23-21. However, the Falcons scored the final four points with a pair of kills coming from Samantha Mirra.  

Sardella scored six points in the first set while Sardella and  Samantha Mira tied with four kills. Shairs led the charge for Salem State with five points in the set and five kills. 

In the second set, the Falcons started on a roll against the Vikings, going on a 7-1 run off the serve of Mirra and forcing coach McNulty to call a time-out.  As the period progressed, Salem State was looking to get back in the game. An Abigail O'Connor block cut the deficit to 17-11. After a slow second set, the Vikings were looking to build on the momentum. Despite the valient effort, poor hiting by Salem State gave the set to to the Falcons, 25 to 18.

Sardella averaged 13 points throughout the first two sets with ten kills. Emily Gelinas had 20 assists. O'Connor led Salem State with 9.5 points, Shairs had nine kills, and Carbone ten assists. 

In the third set, Fitchburg State began the set going on a 4-0 run. Gelinas set up Sardella to make it 5-3 in favor of the Falcons. Fitchburg State added four more to make it 9 to 3 , forcing coach McNulty to call a time-out. As the game progressed, the Vikings were in a deep hole as they were behind 14 to 4. Haley Phillips and Shairs contributed for the next two Vikings' points, but the Falcons opened up a 20-8 lead after a block by Gabrielle Griffiths. 

Sardella finished with 13 kills and nine digs. Griffiths contributed with three blocks and Emily Gelinas had 29 assists. Mirra had 22 digs and seven kils for the Falcons.

Salem State was led by Shairs, who had 11 kills and O'Connor, 13 kills, eight digs. Eva Haralabatos had 15 assists and 11 digs while Kailey Roche had 18 digs for the Vikings.

Salem State will remain at Twohig Gymnasium as they will face Curry for a non-conference game on Saturday afternoon. Game time is at noon.