Box Score PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Senior setter
Meg Verizzi (Lebanon) became the seventh Eastern Connecticut State University volleyball player to reach 2,000 career assists since 1985 when the Warriors swept Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference match Tuesday evening at the Murray Center. Scores were 25-20, 25-17, 25-14.
Verizzi, who had recorded only 506 assists through her first three seasons (the team was limited to five matches in 2020) as one of three setters on those teams, became the sixth player in program history with as many as 1,000 in a season in 2021, and her 33
rd and final assist against Rhode Island College (4-11, 1-5 LEC) as a fifth-year senior made her the seventh player in Eastern history with as many as 2,000 recorded assists. Until Tuesday night, the last player to reach 2,000 was Allie Henry (2011-14), daughter of Eastern Alumni Hall of Famer Katie Nichols (1988-91). Henry is ranked fifth (2,133) all-time, Nichols fourth (2,328).
Verizzi's seventh and final assist on a kill from sophomore
Taylor Smith (Bowie, MD) in the third set Tuesday gave the Warriors a 13-8 lead and moved Verizzi into an elite circle.
The sweep is Eastern's (13-4, 5-1 LEC) third straight and Rhode Island's seventh in a row.
Senior All-America
Anna Barry (Andover), ranked fourth all-time in kills, had eight in the Warriors' 12
th straight victory over Rhode Island. Barry, the LEC leader in kills and attack percentage and this past week's LEC Offensive Player-of-the-Week, attacked at .417.
Senior
Nayeli Cruz Martinez (Toa Baja, P.R.) and junior
Paige Savitsky (Centereach, NY) each added eight. Sophomore
Cassie Parmelee (East Berlin) and senior libero
Paula Perez (Caguas, P.R.) had 13 and 11 digs, respectively. Savitsky (5) and Cruz Martinez (4) combined for nine service aces.
Eastern holds a half-game lead in the LEC standings ahead of Plymouth State University and Western Connecticut State University, who share second place.
Eastern visits the University of Hartford Thursday at 7 p.m. in a non-conference match. The Warriors lead the all-time series, 13-6. It will be the first match between the programs in 36 years.
| EASTERN PLAYERS WITH 2,000 CAREER ASSISTS (Since 1985) |
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
Michelle Cunningham* |
1995-98 |
4,206 |
| 2. |
Priscilla Dougherty |
2004-07 |
2,805 |
| 3. |
Kate Edwards |
1999-02 |
2,445 |
| 4. |
Katie Nichols* |
1988-91 |
2,328 |
| 5. |
Allie Henry |
2011-14 |
2,133 |
| 6. |
Ginny Berry |
1988-91 |
2,108 |
| 7. |
MEG VERIZZI |
2018- |
2,000 |
|
*-Eastern Athletics Alumni Hall of Famer |
|
|
