Golden Knights Make Quick Work of Division Rival Greyhounds

By JONAS MILLER
Co-Executive Editor

The Golden Knights volleyball team was all business Wednesday night, knocking off division foe Assumption in three straight sets.

With only four matches left in the regular season, all of them being divisional match ups, Saint Rose knew they had to make quick work of the Greyhounds.

“Play with no regrets,” is the theme of these last four matches according to senior libero Samantha Atchinson.

“We’ve walked away from a few games saying we should have one,” Atchinson continued. “We don’t want to feel that way.”

Atchinson certainly exemplified that mentality on the court Wednesday, tallying 17 digs, a game high for either team.

“Sami played out of her mind,” said senior outside hitter Rachel Salasky. “She was reading the ball well and she was on fire the whole game.”

Assumption (5-16, 2-10) got off to a quick start, going up 7-3 in the first set and forcing Saint Rose (10-13, 5-6) to use their first of two time outs.

After three kills from senior star and Captain Maryellen Devic, Saint Rose found themselves leading 12-9. Assumption responded by taking their first time out of the set.

As more fans started to show up, including members of the Saint Rose Soccer and Basketball teams, the intensity of the match increased.

Soon, both teams found themselves with 14 points a piece, but after an ace serve from sophomore Sam Kubik, and two kills from Devic and fellow senior Maddie Halverson, the Golden Knights took a lead they would not relinquish, and captured the first set by a score of 25-19.

Salasky stressed after the game that the team tries to take things one point at a time.

“We have the skill,” Salasky said. “But we need to play the mental game as well.”

The success of the first set carried directly into the second as the Golden Knights got off to a blazing 5-0 start on four straight kills from Salasky, Halverson, and freshmen stand out Stevie Schweitzer.

Schweitzer has been phenom of sorts for the Golden Knights this year, and tallied nine kills on the night.

After a seven-all tie earlier on in the set, Saint Rose took the lead yet again, and never looked back. On the back of 6 kills and 3 digs from Devic, the Golden Knights took the second set 25-20.

Saint Rose continued their winning ways in the third set, jumping out to an 11-4 lead.

The Greyhounds would bounce back though, going on a 10-4 run, but after kills from Salasky and Senior Jennifer Gundrum, and an ace from Halverson, Saint Rose once again gave themselves s four-point cushion.

While the third set began to look eerily similar to some of the late game collapses the Golden Knights have had throughout the season, their aggressive play proved to be too much for their division rival, as a service ace from Kubik sealed the set (25-22) and the match (3-0) for Saint Rose.

Salasky attributed the much needed win to the teamwork her squad showed on the court.

“We had fun on the court tonight,” she said. “That’s what won us this game.”

The Golden Knights take on Merrimack in another divisional match up this Saturday in their final home match of the season. The school will celebrate and give thanks to their seniors, followed by what several players described as a “must win” for the team.

The event will begin at 1 p.m. in the Daniel P. Nolan gymnasium. Admission is free for all who attend.

For more stats and info on this year’s squad and all other Golden Knight athletes, visit gogoldenknights.com.