Itasaka Sets Career-High in Digs in 3-2 Loss to St. Joseph's (L.I.) Volleyball

DANBURY, Conn. - Senior libero Alex Itasaka (Bradford, Mass.) picked up a career-high 34 digs for the Simmons College women's volleyball team in a 3-2 loss to Saint Joseph's College of Long Island this afternoon in the Colonial Invitational hosted by Western Connecticut State University at Feldman Arena in Danbury, Conn. The Sharks fall to 1-1 on the season, while the Golden Eagles improve to 1-1.

Game Leaders

Simmons
K: Morgan Weeg - 17
B: Abby Hart - 5
D: Alex Itasaka - 34
SA: 2 Players (#13, #22) - 3
St. Joseph's (L.I.)
K: Morgan Tiska - 11
B: Dana Moeller - 2
D: Danielle Senecal - 17
SA: Courtney Wickline - 5

Team Stats

Simmons
St. Joseph's (L.I.)

Hitting %

.164
.074

Blocks

7.0
6.0

Digs

80
66

Aces

10
10
full stats
Posted: Sep 03, 2016

DANBURY, Conn. - Senior libero Alex Itasaka (Bradford, Mass.) picked up a career-high 34 digs for the Simmons College women's volleyball team in a 3-2 loss to Saint Joseph's College of Long Island this afternoon in the Colonial Invitational hosted by Western Connecticut State University at Feldman Arena in Danbury, Conn. The Sharks fall to 1-1 on the season, while the Golden Eagles improve to 1-1.

Simmons cruised to a 25-15 win in the first set and also took the third frame, 25-17, to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Saint Joseph's fought to a 25-22 win in set two and evened the match at 2-2 with a 25-23 victory in the fourth set. The Golden Eagles outlasted the Sharks, 17-15, in the fifth and final frame to win the match.

Itasaka also served up three aces in addition to her personal-best total of digs for the Sharks. First year outside hitter Morgan Weeg (Goodyear, Ariz.) posted her second double-double in as many contests to begin her collegiate career with 17 kills and 18 digs. She also added a pair of total blocks and an ace. Senior middle blocker Abby Hart (Westfield, Mass.) continued her efficient hitting with a .300 hitting percentage on 15 kills and just three errors to go with two digs and a pair of blocks. Junior rightside hitter Amber Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev.) contributed with 12 kills fueled by a .333 hitting mark, while picking up three digs and recording a solo block. First year setter Kenna McCarthy (Shelter Island, N.Y.) handed out 46 assists and added five digs for Simmons.

Junior middle hitter Morgan Tiska (East Quogue, N.Y.) led the Saint Joseph's attack with 11 kills in addition to six digs, while senior middle hitter Courtney Bocchieri (Bay Shore, N.Y.) swung for 10 kills, picked up two digs and got up for a solo block. Senior setter Courtney Wickline (Medford, N.Y.) registered a double-double with 36 assists and 14 digs, while serving up a match-high five aces. 

The Sharks will finish the tournament when they take on host Western Connecticut State at 4:00 p.m., while the Golden Eagles play Colby-Sawyer College.

Scoreboard