Volleyball wins in 5 set thriller over rival Northern Essex

CCRI Volleyball hosted Northern Essex this past Tuesday on Food Truck Night in Lincoln. The game started with Northern Essex giving the first gut punch early. They were dominant in the first set, getting up by 10 points and sealing the first set 25-16. In the second set, Stella Levey, Sellymar Garcia, and Kayli Sherlock settled into the Knights attack and started to put kills on the board left and right for Rhode Island. CCRI lead 22-16 before a timeout from Northern Essex. After the timeout, the momentum shifted, and Northern Essex came all the way back to tie the Knights at 23. After some more back and forth, Sellymar Garcia was able to string together some important serves, and the Knights took set 2 by a score of 27-25. Now tied at 1, both teams looked to battle for the lead. Delaila Calderon did her best to keep the Knights from letting the set get out of hand, but Northern Essex overcame strong digs and attacks from CCRI to take a 25-16 win, and a 2-1 set lead. It was all but over for Rhode Island however, as they came out attacking strong in the 4th set. Jaylin Pena came up with two back to back spikes, and Chaelys Brito Acevedo backed it up with some important serves, as the Knights scartched out a 25-21 win and forced a decisive 3rd set. The adrenaline during this set was at an all time high, as two hours into the game, neither team wanted to back down. CCRI and Northern Essex would trade points, 12-11, 12-12, 13-12, 13-13 for the next dozen points, which led to the final moment, as up 17-16, freshman Stella Levey knocked a ball into the right corner into open space and the Knights would win 18-16 in a thriller. 

The Knights would go on to sweep Roxbury Communiuty College on Thursday, and now sit at 8-2 in region play.