📹 | After pauses, delays, starts and stops, the #HowlinHuskies were able to make their 2020-21 season debut on Saturday night - despite the four-set defeat at Boston College.

Head coach Lenika Vazquez shares her thoughts on her first match with the program: pic.twitter.com/ttkFDlqRG0

— Northeastern Volleyball (@GoNUwvolleyball) February 14, 2021

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – With sophomore Erica Staunton leading its kill count on Saturday, the Northeastern volleyball team combined to outhit Boston College during the teams' spring opener, despite receiving the four-set defeat at Power Gym: 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 25-14.
 
Staunton landed the match high, 16 kills, on 44 attacks (hitting .159), helping the Huskies achieve the 57-44 advantage in total kills. The 2019 CAA All-Rookie Team selection also racked up 10 digs to notch her first career double-double.
 
Brianna Daphnis accounted for 11 kills and five blocks at the net while Kayla Martin commanded 19 digs in the back row. Samantha Shupe and Liz Carroll split the NU setting, dialing up 21 and 17 assists, respectively.
 
Each of the Huskies' three rookies – Defne Arliel, Maddie Donaphon and Marika Virthe – also made their debuts.
 
Daphnis recorded five of her kills during the opening set, where Northeastern (0-1) proceeded to double up Boston College (1-0; 0-8 Fall 2020) in kills, 16-8. After Carroll had set Gabrielle Tschannen for a kill to close within 15-14, Tschannen delivered the set-tying ace – part of the Huskies' 8-2 run that rushed NU out to the 21-17 lead.
 
Shupe completed an unassisted kill to put Northeastern ahead, 23-21, but the Eagles responded with two kills and two blocks to steal the set, 25-23.
 
Having trailed wire-to-wire during the second set, the Huskies turned the tables on BC during the third set. Northeastern combined to swing 17 kills on 39 attacks (hitting .231), rushing out to the 14-6 lead before controlling as large as an 11-point advantage.
 
Daphnis bookended two kills around another from Staunton to start the fourth set as the Huskies proceeded to claim the early, 8-5 lead. However, BC would respond with a pair of six- and seven-point rallies, flipping the set and the ultimately the match in its favor.
 
Clare Naughton led Boston College with 12 kills and nine digs while Anna Murphy registered 18 digs to lead the Eagles' back row. In total, 14 players made it into the BC rotation.
 
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