Manchester, N.H. - The Adelphi University volleyball team opened up defense of their 2014 and 2015 Northeast-10 championships on the road in Manchester, New Hampshire against fourth seeded Saint Anselm (20-8) on Tuesday, November 15. The Panthers dropped the first set, but rallied back in the ensuing three sets to steal a, 3-1 (21-25, 26-24, 25-15, 27-25) victory.

Melissa Rigo (20) and Mandy Stanislovaitis (10) combined for 30 of Adelphi's 49 total kills, while Megan Manierski kept the offense rolling with a 38 assists. On the defensive side, five different players racked up double figure assists totals, led by Sierra Crook who had a game high 25. She was joined in double digits by Rigo with 12 and Stanislovaitis, Manierski and Rebecca Seeba, who were each credited with 10. Adelphi (19-11) also won the battle at the net, led by Katherine Ferris' effort, which earned her eight total blocks.

The hosts jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the first frame, and Adelphi could not get any closer then two, trailing by five points late, 20-15. However, a six point Adelphi spurt, sparked by a Manierski kill gave the Panther their first lead of the first game, 21-20. Unfortunately for the Brown and Gold, Saint Anselm recovered and ended the set by scoring the final five points, 25-21.

The second game was back and forth throughout and an Adelphi service error gave the hosts the serve and tied the game in the closing stages at 22. It appeared the the Hawks had wrestled control of the set from Adelphi, leading 24-23 on an Amanda Williams effort, but a Rigo kill knotted the action and gave Adelphi the serve. From there a Saint Anselm miscue and a Madison Canestrari well timed and well placed kill, tied the match at one all, 26-24.

Adelphi used an eight point run, that included three Rigo kills, in the third set to turn a 9-8 Saint Anselm lead into a 16-8 Panther advantage. The Hawks attempted to claw back into the game, but could get no closer then six the rest of the way, falling 25-15.

Late in the fourth set it appeared that Saint Anselm was going to force a fifth set, leading 23-19. However, five unsanswered Adelphi points, including two kills from Stanislovaitis gave the Brown and Gold a one point lead, 24-23. The Hawks responded tying the game at 24 and then at 25, but ultimately were worn down by the Panthers, as kills from Ferris and Rigo ended the contest, 27-25 and the match, 3-1. 

Up Next:
Adelphi returns to the court on Friday, November 18 when they take on eighth seeded Pace University in the Northeast-10 championship semifinals in Springfield, Massachusetts at AIC.

Notes:
- Adelphi has not lost a Northeast-10 playoff game since a 3-1 NE-10 semifinal defeat to top seeded New Haven on November 22, 2013.
- The last time that the Panthers played on November 18 was in 2011 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to New Haven,3-0.
- Sierra Crook currently has 577 digs, making her the only player in Adelphi history to post three seasons with 500 digs or more. (2014-512, 2015-708)
 

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About Adelphi Athletics:
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009 and in the past seven seasons, has collected 20 regular season conference titles, 24 tournament championships, 29 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup three times (2013, 2014, and 2016), while winning five NCAA Division II National Championships.

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