The volleyball team won the URI tournament this weekend, losing only two sets in their three games and in the process extended their winning streak to five games.
The Pirates (8-1) defeated the hosting University of Rhode Island 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-16, 25-27, 15-11) in a back-and-forth affair on Saturday to take the tournament title.
Seton Hall found themselves down in the opening set,6-2, but a 6-0 run helped the Pirates take the lead and never look back, taking the set 25-17.
In the next set the Pirates found themselves within striking distance at 22-22, but surrender the next three points to lose the set 22-25.
The third set was much like the first, in that a 8-1 run in the middle of the set gave the Pirates a 10 point advantage, 20-10. URI tried to fight its way back, but the 10 point lead made the difference in the set.
In the fourth set, the Pirates were down 24-21 and rallied to take the next three points to tie the set at 24. After surrendering a point kill by sophomore Stacey Manthorpe tied the set at 25, however the Pirates would lose the next two points to drop the set 27-25.
In the deciding set, the score was tied at 8-8 but a service error and two kills by Manthorpe gave the Pirates an 11-8 advantage, which the Pirates did not surrender.
Manthorpe lead the Pirates in kills with 18 and also recorded 17 digs in the finale of the tournament.
The Pirates swept Hartford (25-16, 25-18, 25-13) on Friday in the second match of the tournament. Manthorpe lead the team in kills with 16.
Junior libero Alyssa Warren tallied 11 digs in the match, which places her as Seton Hall's No. 3 digs leader.
Seton Hall defeated Canisius in the opening match on Friday (25-14, 25-14, 25-17).
In the match the Pirates raced to a 10-3 lead in the first set, forcing a timeout from Canisius.
In all three sets, Seton Hall never trailed.
The Pirates begin a six game home stand, first hosting in-state foe Princeton at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Walsh Gymnasium.
T.J. Brennan can be reached at Thomas.brennan@student.shu.edu
