Bobcats Down URI, Fall To Mercer In North Florida Invitational

Friday, August 30

Jacksonville, Fla.

10:00 AM

Quinnipiac University

1-0,0-0MAAC

Rhode Island

0-1,0-0Atlantic 10

Rhode Island

Quinnipiac

Photo by: Ephemia Nicolakis

Bobcats Down URI, Fall To Mercer In North Florida Invitational

8/30/2024 7:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Quinnipiac women's volleyball team kicked off their 2024 campaign defeating the Rhode Island Rams in five sets and falling to the Mercer Bears three sets to one in the evening matchup.

Ginevra Giovagnoni led the Bobcats with 20 kills and 15 digs for a double-double in the first match. Graduate transfer Elena Giacomini added 20 kills and 10 kills for a double-double of her own against the Rams. Reigning MAAC Setter of the Year, Damla Gunes led the team with 52 assists to open the year.

Giacomini led the team with 12 kills in the second match of the day and Leilani-kai Giusta was second on the squad with 10. Chloe Ka'ahanui registered 33 assists in her first match of the season.

LOCATION
UNF Arena | Jacksonville, Florida

Records
Quinnipiac Bobcats (1-0, 0-0 MAAC) | Rhode Island Rams (0-1, 0-0 A10)
Quinnipiac Bobcats (1-1, 0-0 MAAC) | Mercer Bears (1-0, 0-0 SOCON)

Quinnipiac 3, Rhode Island 2

SET ONE (25-23, Rhode Island)
The two sides traded points to a 7-7 tie before a 4-0 run from the Bobcats pushed Quinnipiac ahead 11-7 in the frame. The Rams responded with a run of their own to even the contest at 16 points apiece.

The Bobcats responded with two straight points before the Rams answered with three straight points to take a 19-18 lead. The back-and-forth set continued as the two sides were tied at 23, but the Rams prevailed getting the last two points to seal the set one victory.

SET TWO (18-25)
The Bobcats got out to a 11-7 lead before going on a 4-0 run to take a 15-7 lead into the media timeout.

Out of the break, the Bobcats extended their lead to 18-11 as an ace from Damla Gunes forced URI to take a timeout. The Bobcats extended their lead to ten before the Rams brought their deficit down to seven. However, kills from Alexandra Tennon and Leilani-kai Giusta helped seal the second set for QU.

SET THREE (15-25)
The two teams went back-and-forth early in the third set as the Bobcats held a 15-10 lead at the media timeout.

Out of the break, Quinnipiac built on their lead as they scored nine of the next 14 points to force Rhode Island to burn a timeout. QU did not let up out of the timeout as they scored the next three points to seal the third set.

SET FOUR (25-19)
Rhode Island got hot out of the gate in the fourth set as they held an 11-5 lead, which forced Quinnipiac to use a timeout. The Rams kept their foot on the gas, extending the lead to 18-12, once again forcing QU to call a timeout.

Out of the Bobcats' timeout, two straight points from QU caused the Rams to use a timeout of their own. The Rams responded out of the break, going on a 7-5 run to end the set and give them the 25-19 set victory to force the decisive set.

SET FIVE (9-15)
Quinnipiac hopped out to a 4-1 lead in the final set and didn't look back. The Bobcats forced URI to call a timeout as they opened an 11-7 lead.

Two straight kills from Bailey Brashear and Elena Giacomini extended the lead to six and Rhode Island called their final timeout. QU finished off the Rams thanks to two kills from MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, Ginevra Giovagnoni.

Mercer 3, Quinnipiac 1

SET ONE (25-16, Mercer)
The Bobcats and Bears traded points early on as they were tied at 14 before a service ace from Mercer brought us to the media timeout.

Mercer came out of the break on fire as they went on a 10-2 run to earn the victory in the first set.

SET TWO (23-25)
The Bobcats got out to a quick 3-0 advantage before Mercer fought back to tie the game at 13. The Bears got two straight points after tying the set up as we reached the media timeout.

Out of the break, the Bobcats caught fire, scoring seven straight points to force Mercer to burn a timeout as QU led 20-15. Three quick points from Mercer out of the timeout caused Kyle Robinson to call a timeout to settle the team down. The two sides traded points out of the break as the set was knotted up at 23 apiece.

Kyle Robinson calmed his team down with a second timeout and the Bobcats came out to score the final two points to secure the set two victory.

SET THREE (25-23)
The two teams went back-and-forth early in the third set as Mercer held a 15-14 lead at the media timeout. The Bears went on a 5-3 run out of the break to give them a 20-17 advantage, causing QU to call a timeout.

QU brought it closer, making it 22-20 late in the third set. After a Mercer timeout, the Bears used three kills from Skye Ekes to seal the 25-23 set victory.

SET FOUR (25-16)
QU and Mercer saw themselves even at nine points apiece before Mercer opened a three-point advantage as Quinnipiac called a timeout.

Mercer went on a 11-5 run to close out the match as they won the final set 25-16.

NOTES:

Quinnipiac saw two players record a double-double, as Ginevra Giovagnoni and Elena Giacomini helped lead the way in the five-set victory over URI.
Giovagnoni totaled 20 kills and 15 digs in the win
Giacomini recorded 20 kills, 10 digs, and two aces in the victory.
Reigning MAAC Setter of the Year registered 52 assists in the season opener.
Giacomini led the Bobcats with 12 kills in the match against Mercer.
Chloe Ka'ahanui led the team with 33 assists in her first match of the season.