Jaci Buscher
Jaci Buscher

Adelphi Tops Bentley, 3-1, in Battle for NE-10 Lead; 16 Kills for Buscher

WALTHAM, Mass. – Despite 16 kills from senior outside hitter Jaci Buscher (Lakewood, Colo./ Green Mountain HS) and 41 assists by freshman setter Krista Campbell (Newtown, Pa./Council Rocks North HS), the Bentley University women's volleyball team came up short in the battle for first place in the Northeast-10 Conference Friday night at the Dana Center.

Adelphi University ran its winning streak to a dozen with the 3-1 victory over the Falcons. The scores were 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-10.

The Panthers improved to 8-0 in conference play and 17-4 overall with the victory in the first meeting of the two clubs since Bentley ousted the Long Island school in last year's opening round of the NCAA Division II East Regional.  The loss snapped Bentley's five-match winning streak, dropping the Falcons to 14-7 overall (7-2 NE-10) and into third place in the NE-10.

Adelphi, which trailed for only one serve in the three sets that it won, was powered by 19 kills and a .312 hitting percentage by junior Mandy Stanislovaitis (West Chester, Ohio). The Panthers, who hit .280 as a team, also received 14 kills from freshman McKenna Clawson (Ojai, Calif.) and ten from senior Shelby Stoner (Anchorage, Alaska).

Distributing the ball for the visitors was sophomore Megan Manierski (Macomb, Mich.), who accumulated 53 assists. Adelphi also received five blocks from six-foot-three freshman Madison Canestrari (Ledyard, Conn.), as well as four from Stoner.

Bentley also had three reach doubles in kills with Buscher joined by sophomore Shannon Kelly (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison HS) (15) and junior Ashley Latimer (Croton on Hudson, N.Y./Croton Harmon HS) (10). Latimer, who also had five blocks, had the highest hitting percentage for the Falcons, finishing at .381.

Campbell, in addition to the 41 assists, made 11 digs for her second straight double-double.

Bentley will be right back at the Dana Center Saturday afternoon for a 1 pm encounter with Pace University.