NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Southern Connecticut State University volleyball defeated Felician, 3-1 (28-26, 28-30, 25-15 and 25-19) to improve to 10-2 on the season. With the loss, as well as a loss to Franklin Pierce in the third game of the tri-match at Pelz Gymnasium, Felician moves to 3-8 on the season.

Gabriela Vazquez (Meriden, Conn.) finished with a game-high 18 kills, while hitting .441 for the game. She also collected six digs and a block. Gabriela Gaibur (Monroe, N.Y.) posted a double-double with 14 kills and 15 digs to go-along with three service aces and two blocks. Abigail Epstein (Crystal River, Fla.) also tallied a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs with an ace and five blocks.

Taylor Jones (Middletown, N.Y.) paced the team with 38 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Owls won the tug-o-war that was the first game which saw constant lead changes between the two teams. The Owls faced a loss in the first set, trailing 24-22, before rattling off three straight points on back-to-back kills by Vazquez and an ace by Krishnalei So'oto to take a 25-24 lead. Felician answered with two-straight points before Southern scored the final three points to pull out the win.
• After another back-and-forth battle in the second set saw the Golden Falcons sneak out a 30-28 win, Southern took the third set, 25-15. Clinging to a 7-6 lead, the Owls put together a 12-4 run to take an 18-10 lead as Vazquez, Gaibur and Payton Reis (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) collected three kills each in the run.
• From there, the Owls held off the Felician offense that scored four-straight points to pull it within five points, 19-14, as they scored six of the last seven points of the set with Gaibur collected three kills down the stretch.
• Felician wouldn't go away in the fourth set, pressuring the Owls who held the lead for the entire set. In the end, Southern was able to hold-on and take the last set, and the match, 25-19.

NOTES

• Gabriela Gaibur now has seven double-doubles in 12 games this season. Gaibur wraps up an impressive four-game stretch for the week with three double-doubles in the run.
• With 38 assists against Felician, Taylor Jones now has 300 assists for the year in 30 sets played for a 10.00 assists-per-set average.
• Vazquez's 18 kills were a season- and career-high, while her .441 hitting percentage was also tops for the season. She previously totaled 15 against Bridgeport on Aug. 23, 2018 in her first collegiate game.
• The Owls 10-2 start gives them their third-best record through the first 12 games of the season, trailing the 2009 that opened the year at 13-0 and the 2021 team that was 11-1. They ultimately posted a 14-1 record through their first 15 games.

UP NEXT
The Owls return to action when they travel to Pleasantville, N.Y. to take on Pace in a Northeast 10 Conference matchup on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.