Hofstra, JMU Punch #CAAChamps Semifinal Tickets

11/16/2017 6:30:58 PM

Tim McDonnell

2017 Volleyball #CAAChamps Central

Box Score | Highlights

#5 Hofstra 3, #4 Northeastern 2 (18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-22, 21-19)

HARRISONBURG, Va. – In an amazing final set that included multiple lead changes and lengthy rallies, fifth-seeded Hofstra came back from a 2-0 set deficit to defeat fourth-seeded Northeastern, 3-2, wrapping up the first day of the 2017 CAA Volleyball Championship from the campus of James Madison University.

For the first time in CAA Championship history, both quarterfinal matches of the first round lasted five sets.

Sophomores Laura Masciullo and Luisa Sydlik each were credited with double-doubles for the No. 5 seed Pride (18-13), who advance past the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. Masciullo had 18 kills and 10 digs, while Sydlik collected 50 assists and 16 digs for Hofstra, which comes back on Friday night to face tournament top seed College of Charleston (26-4) at 7:05 p.m. in the semifinals.

Hofstra freshman Sanne Maring finished with 13 blocks, classmate Ivania Ortiz chipped in 12 kills and 13 digs, and junior Michela Rucli hit .368 to go with 11 kills the dramatic victory. The deciding fifth set featured seven ties, the last at 19-19 after a kill by Northeastern's Amy Underdown. But a service error by Huskies junior Gabrielle Eyl and a kill by Masciullo gave the Pride the victory following an incredible 20-plus rally seen here.

Northeastern (17-12), looking for its first postseason CAA win since 2013, was led by sophomore Amy Underdown (25 kills, 17 digs) and freshman Samantha Shupe (29 assists, 15 digs). Junior Gabrielle Eyl, the recently named CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year, grabbed a match-high 23 digs in the setback.

Notes: Hofstra leads the all-time series with Northeastern, 41-13. Northeastern went 10-6 in CAA play and was the only team that earned a 1-1 split with every opponent at the championship in the regular season. The Huskies were also the lone team to defeat CofC in the regular season, handing the Cougars their last overall loss on Sept. 24. The Pride made their sixth straight CAA Championship appearance. Underdown’s double-double was her 16^th of the season. The sophomore totaled 449 kills this fall, the seventh most in a single season in program history.

Box Score | Highlights

#3 James Madison 3, #6 Elon 2 (28-30, 25-13, 25-21, 23-25, 15-9)

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Bryn Recker had 22 kills to lead four Dukes in double-digit kill totals and Taylor Austin recorded 34 digs to help third-seeded James Madison outlast sixth-seeded Elon, 3-2, on Thursday in the first match of the 2017 CAA Volleyball Championship at Sinclair Gymnasium.

The No. 3 seed Dukes (21-5), playing in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014, won their third straight match while improving to 13-2 at home this season. Recker finished with a .349 hitting percentage and eight digs, Kelly Vahos had a double-double of 13 kills and 16 digs and M’Kaela White added 10 kills and seven blocks in the win.

Madison is hosting the league’s postseason tournament for the second time in the past three seasons and advances to Friday’s semifinals where it will face No. 2 seed Towson (26-4) at 4:05 p.m. The Dukes lost to the Tigers during both meetings in the regular season.

Appearing in its first CAA Championship all-time, the No. 6 seed Phoenix of Elon finish the year with a 16-16 overall record. Senior Sydney Busa collected a match-high 23 kills and also added 22 digs for the double-double in defeat. Junior Kam Terry also chipped in a double-double with 19 kills and 17 digs. Freshman Kodi Garcia, who on Wednesday was named the 2017 CAA Rookie of the Year, registered 51 total assists to go with 16 digs.

Notes: JMU defeated Elon during the regular season, 3-1 and 3-0. Busa was named to the All-CAA first team on Wednesday, the school’s first-ever first-team honoree since joining the conference in 2014. The Dukes have now gone 35-7 on their home court since 2015. Elon’s 5-11 record in league action was its best since its inaugural season in 2014. The defending CAA Champion Dukes own the most consecutive CAA Championship berths (eight) among all conference teams.

Semifinal coverage on Friday continues with live streaming on the league’s digital network, CAA.tv. You can find CAA.tv on mobile devices and OTT platforms Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.

For more information on the 2017 Volleyball Championship, visit our official championship page.

2017 CAA Volleyball Championship – Sinclair Gymnasium, Harrisonburg, Va.

November 16 - Quarterfinals
4:05 PM: No. 3 Seed James Madison 3, No. 6 Seed Elon 2
7:05 PM: No. 5 Seed Hofstra 3, No. 4 Seed Northeastern 2

November 17 - Semifinals
4:05 PM: No. 2 Seed Towson vs. No. 3 Seed James Madison // CAA.tv
7:05 PM: No. 1 Seed College of Charleston vs. No. 5 Seed Hofstra // CAA.tv

November 18 - Championship Final
4:05 PM: Winner Semifinal #1 vs. Winner Semifinal #2 // College Sports Live/CBS Digital