Volleyball Rallies Past Chicago State in Five Sets, Stetson in Four Sets

Friday, September 14

DeLand, FL

11:00 AM

Brown University

5-2

Chicago State University

6-7

Brown

Chicago State

Volleyball Rallies Past Chicago State in Five Sets, Stetson in Four Sets

9/14/2018 2:37:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

DELAND, Fla. – Brown University volleyball recorded a pair of comeback victories on Friday at the Stetson Invitational, beating Chicago State in five sets, 3-2 (23-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-13), and topping Stetson in four frames, 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-12), at the Edmunds Center.

In their first match of the day, the Bears (6-2) rallied from a 2-0 set deficit to edge the Cougars (6-7) before persevering through a 1-0 set deficit in their victory over the host Hatters (6-4).

Playing in her home state for the first time as a collegiate student-athlete, sophomore Gabrielle Moriconi (Naples, Fla.) led the Bears with 31 kills (3.44 per set) on the day. She has posted double-figure kills in four straight matches.

Senior Sabrina Stillwell (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and freshman Kristin Sellers (Menlo Park, Calif.) each registered double-doubles in both matches. Stillwell finished the day with 30 kills and 27 digs while Sellers tallied 90 assists and 33 digs.

Next, Brown completes play at the Stetson Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 15, with a match against Bethune-Cookman at 2:30 p.m.

Match 1: Brown 3, Chicago State 2 (23-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-13)

Senior Sabrina Stillwell tallied a match-high 19 kills as Brown rallied past Chicago State in five sets, 3-2 (23-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-13), on Friday morning in its first match at the Stetson Invitational.

Trailing 2-0 in sets, the Bears responded with three straight set wins, including coming back from an 8-4 deficit in set five, to upend the Cougars.

Stillwell (Laguna Beach, Calif.) finished the match with 19 kills and 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the season and her third straight double-double. Sophomores Gabrielle Moriconi (Naples, Fla.) and Eliza Grover (Menlo Park, Calif.) registered 14 kills and 13 kills respectively.

Freshman setter Kristin Sellers (Menlo Park, Calif.) recorded her third double-double of the season on a match-high 52 assists and a team-best 18 digs. Freshman libero Paris Winkler (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) contributed 16 digs, senior Elisa Merten (Woodside, Calif.) came up with 15 digs, and junior Makena Ehlert (Orange County, Calif.) added 11 digs.

The Bears began their comeback in set three, capturing the stanza, 25-21. Brown opened the set with an 8-4 lead and pushed its edge to 17-9 behind a 5-0 run. After CSU pulled within 20-18, Brown scored five of the frame's last eight points. Sellers came up with 10 assists and six digs in the period.

Brown forced a fifth frame with a 25-20 victory in set four, knotting the match in sets at 2-2. Stillwell paced the Bears in the frame with seven kills on 14 attempts with no errors (.500 hitting) while Sellers posted 14 assists and six digs. Holding an 18-17 lead, the Bears finished the frame on a 7-3 run.

In set five, Brown faced an 8-4 deficit at the switch but rallied to take the match with a 15-13 triumph in the decisive frame. Trailing 12-9, Brown claimed the match behind a 6-1 burst.

In a set one that saw 12 ties and two lead changes, Chicago State emerged with a 25-23 win. With the set tied at 21-21, the Cougars scored four of the last six points to take the set. In the frame, Stillwell posted four kills and six digs, and Sellers dished out 13 assists.

The Cougars went ahead 2-0 in sets behind a 25-17 win in set two. Brown and CSU stood tied at 17-17 before Chicago State concluded the period on an 8-0 run. Sellers tacked on 10 more assists in the set.

For Chicago State, Beatriz Palmieri posted 18 kills, Megan Klavitter notched a match-high 38 digs, and Lacee Adams dished out 32 assists.

Match 2: Brown 3, Stetson 1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-12)

Sophomore Gabrielle Moriconi landed a match-high 17 kills as Brown earned its second comeback victory of the day, topping Stetson in four sets, 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-12), on Friday night.

After dropping the first set, 25-17, the Bears swept the next three frames, including a 25-12 win in the decisive stanza, to defeat the host Hatters.

Moriconi (Naples, Fla.) tallied her 17 kills on a .324 hitting percentage for her fourth straight match with double-figure kills while sophomore Eliza Grover (Menlo Park, Calif.) totaled 12 kills and five blocks.

Senior Sabrina Stillwell (Laguna Beach, Calif.) totaled her sixth double-double of the season – and fourth straight double-double – on 11 kills and 16 digs. Senior Courtney Palm (St. Louis, Mo.) added seven kills and four blocks, and sophomore Tylin Stiller (Evergreen, Colo.) tacked on six kills on .455 hitting and four blocks.

Freshman setter Kristin Sellers (Menlo Park, Calif.) notched her fourth double-double of the year on 38 assists and 15 digs. Freshman Paris Winkler (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) registered 18 digs, and junior Makena Ehlert (Orange County, Calif.) contributed 14 digs.

In set one, Brown took a 13-12 lead before Stetson used a 7-0 run to pull ahead 19-13. The Hatters extended their edge to 24-15 before winning the frame, 25-17.

The Bears responded with a 25-20 victory in set two, evening the match at one set apiece. Trailing 11-7, Brown used a 7-2 run to pull ahead 14-13. Maintaining a 21-19 edge, the visitors closed the set on a 4-1 streak. Sellers tallied 13 assists and four digs in the frame while Moriconi landed five kills.

Behind six kills from Moriconi and five kills from Grover, Brown captured set three, 25-21. The Bears scored four straight points to pull ahead 17-11 and held off a late rally from the hosts, taking four of the frame's final five points.

Brown closed the match with a 25-12 win in set four. Holding an 8-7 lead, Brown scored seven unanswered points to gain a 15-7 edge. After Stetson came within 15-10, the Bears outscored the Hatters 10-2 the rest of the way. Grover chalked up four kills on .571 hitting in the frame.

For Stetson, Eva Deisa terminated on 14 kills and Naina Ivanova charted a double-double on 25 assists and 18 digs.

Video of all Brown volleyball home contests and all Ivy League matches, home and away, will be broadcast live on ESPN+.