Gordon College Volleyball began Conference play tonight on Kanas Court as they hosted the Suffolk University Rams for their first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match of the season. After dropping the first set 25-19, the Fighting Scots rallied back to win three straight sets and secure the 3-1 win. Valerie Nilan led the Scots with 12 kills followed by Joey Keltner who has 11 and Annie Murphy who booked 10. Meanwhile, Kate Howe recorded a whopping 44 assists in tonight's four-set victory.

How It Happened

• Suffolk raced out to a 5-1 start before the Fighting Scots chipped away to come within one (8-9) but the Rams kept the Scots at bay, scoring the next four points to widen the gap to five points (13-8). Not going away easily, the blue and white went on a six-point run to take their first lead of the set 14-13, forcing Suffolk to call a timeout. After the Rams regrouped, they scored the next three points to take a lead they would not relinquish as they came away with the 25-19 win. 
• Next, the squads ping-ponged points until the Scots earned a three-point lead (12-9) thanks to a powerful Murphy kill. The Scots held their advantage until a Suffolk timeout brought the score to 20-all before Gordon regained the three-point edge once again (23-20) before sealing the close 25-23 second set win. 
• Jordan Shaduk got the Scots going in the third set as the graduate student smashed down the first point of the set. The Fighting Scots held tight to their lead until back to back aces from the Rams gave them a one-point edge that Gordon soon retrieved (12-9). However, not long after Suffolk outscored the Scots 8-2 to bring the score to 17-14, forcing a Gordon timeout in which the Scots capitalized on to make it even at 17. Once again knotted up at 21, the Rams pulled ahead (24-22) but the Fighting Scots secured three straight points to take the 25-24 match-point advantage. The Rams were able to stay alive for one more point until back to back kills from Shaduk and Nilan secured the third set, 27-25. 
• Looking to end it in four, the Fighting Scots took an early 5-4 lead off of a Nilan kill but the Rams clawed their way back to go up 12-8. After a Murphy kill, Keltner stepped up to the line to serve the Scots back in the lead (13-12) as Suffolk tried to break the Scots' rhythm with a timeout. After the break, both sides went on small streaks as the Scots continued to stay ahead, 20-16. Suffolk battled back to come within one (20-21) and after that, both teams went point-for-point, forcing multiple extra match-points as neither squad was willing to fall behind until Gordon's Keltner brought home the win with a towering kill to secure the final set, 29-27.

Beyond The Box Score

• Kate Howe recorded a season high 44 assists in tonight's CCC matchup. 
• Annie Murphy has booked double-digit kills for the third time this season. 
• The Fighting Scots take a break from CCC action as they travel to Bridgewater this Thursday, September 22 to battle the Bridgewater State University Bears at 6 p.m.