FAIRFIELD, CONN. – After a run of five-set matches in Northeast Conference play, the Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team had a quick afternoon. The Pioneers defeated Merrimack, 3-0 (25-12, 25-9, 25-18) on Friday.
 
Records:
Sacred Heart: 12-8, 5-1 NEC 
Merrimack: 4-13, 2-4 NEC
 
Top Performers:
Sarah Ciszek: 30 assists, 5 kills, 3 blocks
Brooke Jeffrey: 12 kills
Kate Anderson: 8 kills, 5 blocks, .727 hitting %
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers wrap up the weekend Saturday when they take on Stonehill at 7 p.m.
 
Of Note:
Sacred Heart was an offensive juggernaut in the opening set, hitting .737 on its way to .413 rate for the match. The Pioneers limited Merrimack to a .056 hitting percentage thanks to a 26-14 digs margin.
 
The third set was the most competitive as the Warriors pulled within 16-14 on a SHU error. The Pioneers dashed any hopes of a Merrimack comeback with a 7-1 run that featured a pair of Jasmine Rogers' kills.
 
Topping all players was the rookie Brooke Jeffrey as she recorded double-digit kills for the fourth time in five matches with a game-high dozen winners. Rogers followed with nine and Kate Anderson chipped in eight and had a season-best .727 hitting percentage. Libero Emma Smallcomb was the only player on both teams with double-digit kills as she produced 10.