Yaeger earns 100th win in volleyball’s dominant bounce back performance

South Orange, N.J. – After being defeated by the nation’s 14^th best team in Creighton on Friday night, the Seton Hall volleyball team retaliated to defeat the Providence Friars on Saturday evening, winning in straight sets by a score of 25-22, 25-23, 25-14. The first set featured both teams trading kills, as the length of a very skilled Providence team was on display. The Friars were in firm control of the first set as they had a strong 20-16 lead late. That would all change, however, after a couple kills from Abby Thelen and a few Providence errors to boot. Seton Hall came all the way back to take lead in the set, with Thelen ending the set by ricocheting the set point off of a Providence player. [caption id="attachment_19939" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Photo via Sarah Yenesel/Assistant Photography Editor[/caption] The second set was more of the same, as the Pirates saw themselves deadlocked with Providence at 15-all. The Pirates once again responded with the set in the balance, as a combination of defense and offense allowed Seton Hall to take the lead and never relinquish it. In the third and final set, Seton Hall demonstrated dominance and poise as they feasted off of Providence errors. Caitlin Koska, playing in a bigger role in this her junior season, got herself a couple kills in the set as she took some of the offensive burden from the Pirates’ kills leader in Thelen. The Pirates never looked back in the match-clinching set, winning by a score of 25-14. The win was a milestone 100^th for Seton Hall head coach Allison Yaeger, who quickly deflected the spotlight from herself to her players and staff. “I owe it to the all the players,” Yaeger said. “In the last six seasons as head coach, they’ve done everything to get me where I am; and by far, my assistants as well. I don’t go through assistants, it has been the two of us for all six years – as much as I am getting the press for it, it’s her [assistant coach Allie Matters] too; it’s both of our 100^th win.” The Pirates will look to close out the home stretch and get back to .500 next week, when they welcome the Georgetown Hoyas to Walsh Gymnasium in a third consecutive Big East matchup. First serve is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Evando Thompson can be reached at Evando.Thompson@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @Thompsev.