Bridgewater State Falls to Stevens Tech in NCAA Tournament Action

HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Junior outside hitter Melanie Volk (Thompson Station, Tenn.) registered 13 kills, nine digs and three blocks as she led the 22nd-ranked and top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology women's volleyball team past eighth-seeded Bridgewater State College in the fourth match of the 2007 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball New York Regional Championship on Thursday night in Hoboken, N.J.

With the victory, the Ducks (34-4) will take on Skidmore College on Friday at 7 p.m. Bridgewater, which was making its ninth consecutive appearance in the national tournament, completes the 2007 season with a record of 17-20.

Junior outside hitter Melissa Rhode (New Orleans, La.) posted a season-high 36 assists and nine digs. Junior middle blocker Jessica Gardner (Penfield, N.Y.) notched six service aces and five kills as freshman libero Julia Reilly (Oradell, N.J.) added 11 digs. The Ducks received a strong performance from senior outside hitter Dawn Herring (Prince Frederick, Md.), who amassed 10 kills and nine digs in the victory.

The Bears (17-19) were led by senior middle hitter Kelsey Collasius (Rochester, Mass.), who had a team-high 11 kills to go along with 2 solo blocks. Collasius wraps up her brilliant four-year career at Bridgewater State as the Bears' all-time leader in kills with 1,762.

Freshman defensive specialist Marissa Pita (Hyannis, Mass.) totaled 18 digs and senior setter Erica Kelley  (Billerica, Mass.) chipped in with 23 assists in the defeat. Kelley became just the fourth player in BSC volleyball history to reach the 2,000 assist milestone as she finishes her career with 2,010 assists.