Box Score NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Felician University senior setter Miquela Martinez (Santa Fe, N.M.) recorded 20 assists and 13 digs, including the 1,000th dig of her collegiate career, but the Golden Falcons were defeated by host Southern Connecticut State University, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-17), in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon at Pelz Gymnasium.
Martinez is the fifth member of Felician's 1,000-dig club, reaching the milestone early in the second set of her 85th career match. She is the Golden Falcons' first full-time setter with four figures, and the program's only player with 1,000+ digs and 2,000+ assists in its 19-year history.
Felician senior Hannah Chiswick (Pittstown, N.J.) and freshman Cailey Jones (Bel Air, Md.) had nine kills each on Sunday. Senior Gabriela Gaibur (Monroe, N.Y.) paced Southern Connecticut State by hitting .455 with 13 kills and 10 digs.
Felician (1-12) never led during the opening set. The Golden Falcons cut an early 10-6 deficit to 13-12, but SCSU recovered and stretched to a 22-15 edge before winning the set by the same seven-point margin. The visitors cut a 14-8 Set 2 deficit to 18-17, but a service error touched off a 5-0 run for the Owls and allowed them to pull away for a two sets to none lead.
SCSU took control early in Set 3, capturing eight consecutive rallies to turn a one-point lead into a 12-3 spread. Down 24-13, the Golden Falcons held off defeat four times before a kill by Southern's Sydney Bennett (Marietta, Ga.) ended the match.
Bennett (three blocks) joined junior Kacey Deecher (Granby, Mass.) (10 digs) with eight kills each for the Owls (9-6). Felician received seven kills, eight digs and three aces from freshman Sara Betts (Goodyear, Ariz.).
Felician's 1,000-dig club consists of Erica Moore (1,593, 2007-10), Amber Doran (1,346, 2007-10), Alondra Diaz Sanchez (1,239, 2018-21), Sierra Gallagher (1,050, 2018-19) and Martinez (1,007, 2019-pres.).
Felician returns to Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action on Wednesday by hosting the league's newest member, the University of Bridgeport, at 7 p.m. in Rutherford, N.J.
