FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Penmen Edge Panthers in Five-Set Thriller.
When and Where: November 19, 2022 – Springfield, Mass. (Butova Gymnasium)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 3, Adelphi University 2
Records: SNHU 19-7, Adelphi 23-11
Senior Dai Thawnghmung and graduate student Alice Arletti each recorded 17 kills to lead the sixth-seeded Southern New Hampshire women's volleyball team to a thrilling five-set victory against fifth-seeded Adelphi University in the NCAA East Regional title match at American International College's Butova Gymnasium on Saturday evening. The Penmen, who set a new single-season program record for wins, capture their first regional crown and will head to Seattle, Wash., for the NCAA National Championship, as one of eight teams in the country still standing.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Thawnghmung – career-high-matching 17 kills, 14 digs
- Arletti – career-high 17 kills, .351 hitting, 1 ace, 5 blocks, 5 digs
- Graduate student Sara Montefameglio – season-high 53 assists, 3 aces, career-high matching 16 digs, 2 blocks
- Sophomore Deanne Wilson – 31 digs
- Redshirt-junior Ana Pimenta – 9 kills, 11 digs
- Sophomore Carmen Bernardis – 8 kills, 3 blocks, 10 digs
- Senior Kam Blaskey – 8 kills
KEY MOMENTS
- Adelphi sped out to a 14-6 lead in the opening set, but four straight from Southern New Hampshire later in the frame pulled it within 19-17. With the score 20-18, however, Adelphi rattled off five of the final seven points to go up, 1-0, in the match.
- The second stanza was tied, 22-all, when the Penmen notched three of the next four, including a set-clinching kill from Arletti that evened the match.
- SNHU trailed, 9-7, in the third when it ripped off seven straight as part of a 10-2 run, which put the Penmen up, 17-11. Thawnghmung and Arletti each had three kills during the stretch. Adelphi eventually slashed its deficit to 24-22, but another Arletti kill gave SNHU a 2-1 edge.
- Adelphi built a 10-3 led in the fourth and led, 19-13, when five straight from the Penmen made it a one-point set. The Panthers would respond with a 6-1 counter-run that sent the match to a fifth and deciding set.
- SNHU seized a 4-1 lead to start and later held a 6-3 edge, but Adelphi came back with an 8-2 run that flipped it into the lead at 11-8. The Penmen would not go away, however, scoring four straight to go back on top, 12-11. Seven ties ensued, with Adelphi eventually going up, 19-18. SNHU answered the bell with three straight, including a fitting end to the match with a Thawnghmung kill that sent the Penmen to the Emerald City.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Set scores were 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 21-19.
- Senior Ainsley Knox collected eight digs.
- Sophomore Ava Czyzewski served up an ace and tallied a pair of digs.
- SNHU outhit Adelphi in each of the three sets it won, while the Panthers owned a .174-.140 advantage for the match.
- The Panthers doubled up the Penmen in blocks, 14-7, while SNHU held a 5-4 edge in aces.
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire has won 13 of its last 16, including eight of 10, seven of eight and three straight.
- The Penmen set a new single-season program record with their 19th victory, surpassing the 1986 squad that finished 18-18.
- The Penmen are now 3-0 in their first NCAA Championship appearance.
- Thawnghmung, Arletti, Montefameglio and Wilson were all named to the NCAA East Region All-Championship Team.
- Adelphi leads the all-time series with the Penmen, 14-2. SNHU snaps a four-match losing skid against the Panthers, which included a 3-0 regular-season blanking in Garden City on Oct. 29.
- Montefameglio fell one assist shy of matching her career high of 54, which she set Oct. 30, 2021 at the College of Saint Rose.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen will now wait to learn their new seed for the NCAA National Championship, which begins Thursday, Dec. 1 at Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle, Wash.
-Recap provided by SNHU athletic communications-
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