HOUGHTON, N.Y.— The Buffalo State volleyball team picked up its 10th victory of the season after outlasting Houghton College in a five-set thriller in non-conference action Tuesday evening.
 
MATCH BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State 3, Houghton, 2
SET SCORES: 18-25, 25-17, 16-25, 27-25, 15-12
LOCATION:  Nielsen Center – Houghton, N.Y.
RECORDS:  Buffalo State 10-11, Houghton (7-11)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Three Bengals tallied double-digit kills, led by Eden Harrison (Eldersburg, Md./Century) and her 17 kills, hitting .483.
• Angelina Scichilone (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) tallied 11 kills and eight digs.
• McCartney Geartz (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) posted 11 kills (.625 hitting percentage) and three blocks.
• Samantha Coakley (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) led the Bengal defense with 11 blocks.
• Riley Domin (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville South) (28 assists, 10 digs) and Abby Verner (Ransomville, N.Y./Trinity) (16 assists, 10 digs) both tallied double-doubles.
• The Bengals are now 4-7 all-time against the Highlanders, winning the last two matches.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Houghton scored five of the first six points of the game.
• Trailing 10-5, the Bengals went on a 6-1 run to tie the match at 11.
• The Bengals could get no closer, as Houghton slowly pulled away for the first set win.
• Tied at five in the second set, Buffalo State scored five in a row, including a Verner service ace.
• A 4-0 run gave the Bengals their biggest lead of the set at 19-11.
• The Highlanders made a late run, but 'State held off the charge with three consecutive points to end the set.
• Tied at three in the third set, the Highlanders went on an 11-1 run to take a commanding 12-4 lead.
• Buffalo State and Houghton traded points from then, as the Highlanders took the third set by nine points.
• Tied at five in the fourth set, a block by Geartz and Alena McKelvey (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors) capped a 5-1 run.
• Houghton brought the deficit to two (10-8), but the Buffalo State went on another run, scoring eight of 10 to take an 18-10 lead.
• Houghton stormed back to tie the set at 22.
• Tied at 25, The Bengals tallied back-to-back points to force a fifth set.
• Down one (8-7) in the fifth, the Bengals went on a 4-1 spurt to take a three-point lead.
• A block by Geartz and Liz Schultheis (Holley, N.Y./Brockport) clinched the set and the match.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Julie Immel led the Highlanders with 21 points and 16 digs.
• Allison Morgan tallied 18 kills on a .485 hitting percentage.
• Haley Unverdorben tallied 46 assists to pace the Houghton offense.
• Rebekah Clark led the Houghton defense with 26 kills.

 
UP NEXT
The Bengals head to Rochester for the final weekend of the regular season, taking on Rochester and host St. John Fisher on Saturday, beginning at noon.