Volleyball Splits Tri-Match Affair with CSI and Newbury

Patchogue, N.Y. — The Lady Golden Eagles (7-6) split with a win and a loss at Saturday's tri-match held in the Danzi gymnasium. After defeating the Staten Island Dolphins (5-5) 3-1, the Newbury Nighthawks (8-6) swooped in the beat the Golden Eagles in a suspenseful five set match.

The first set of the Eagles' first match of the day, against the Dolphins, was easily won. After going on a 12-2 run immediately out of the gate, Staten Island had no way to respond and the Eagles went on to grab the win, 25-9.

The second set went very similarly to the first. After the Dolphins took an 8-5 lead early on, the Eagles answered with vengeance.  A seven-point run put the eagles ahead by four, a lead that only grew until SJC won the match 25-12.

The third set of the match shook things up for the Eagles, who, along with the fans, were expecting a quick end. This time, after tying the game at nine, it was the Dolphins who went on a run to gain the lead 14-9. Thrown off balance, the Eagles couldn't strike back in time or with enough force to regain an advantage. The Dolphins forced a fourth match winning the third 25-18.

The Eagles came out onto the court for the fourth set refusing to allow the Dolphins to achieve even a one-point lead. After hopping out to a comfortable ten-point lead SJC did not slow down and maintained their level of dominance until the final point, winning the set and effectually the match 25-15.

Heather Ferchland (Selden, N.Y./ Centereach) had eight kills in the match while her co-captain Julianne Tierney (Selden, N.Y./ Centereach) logged 19 assists and four kills of her own.

The final contest of the day was an evenly matched fight throughout. The Eagles won the first set 25-22, maintaining a lead for the entirety of the game but leaving little room for error. The Nighthawks were the ones to maintain the small lead in the next set, remaining just out of reach from the Eagles who lost, 26-24. The Nighthawks attained a 6-5 lead early in the third set but it was also their last, a six point run by the Eagles put them ahead as they eventually pulled through with a 25-22 victory.

As the Eagles fought to win the match in the fourth set, the Nighthawks fought to stay alive, and after tying the games several times throughout the set, the Nighthawks succeeded in forcing a fifth set, winning the fourth 25-22. After the game tied at six in the fifth set the Nighthawks gained the lead that they would win with as the Eagles could not seem to push any farther, the set ending 15-8.

Ferchland slammed down 15 kills in the effort, Tierney had 42 assists while Courtney Wickline (Medford, N.Y./ Bellport) picked up a solid 22 digs.

The Golden Eagles will host Skyline foes Old Westbury and Farmingdale State on Saturday for their annual Dig Pink Tri-Match for breast cancer awareness and fundraising. The matches will begin at 12:00 p.m.