Volleyball loses in Big East tourney quarterfinals

The Seton Hall volleyball team's season came to abrupt close on Friday night when they lost their Big East quarterfinal matchup with the Marquette Golden Eagles, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-23).

The Pirates finish their season with a 17-13 record.

Senior Meghan Matusiak, last week's Big East Player of the Week, recorded 14 kills and 12 digs in the last game of her career for the Pirates.

Freshman Shelbey Manthorpe added 10 kills, 28 assists, and 14 digs in the match, recording her fourth triple-double of the season while her sister, freshman Stacey Manthorpe, contributed seven kills and 10 digs.

The Hall was unable to recover from a sluggish start in the first set after Marquette began with five straight points. Though the Pirates trailed by just one point four times in the set, it was junior Holly Mertens who propelled the Golden Eagles to a first set 25-22 victory with five kills. Mertens finished the match with 15 kills and 5 digs.

In the second set the Pirates held an early 8-6 lead after a Marquette service error, but would not lead the set again after consecutive kills from Mertens. The Hall crawled back into it after three straight kills from Matusiak however the Golden Eagles were able to quell the comeback and finish the second set 25-21, giving Marquette a 2-0 match advantage.

After a shaky first two sets, the Pirates looked avoid a sweep in the third set by coming out a little livelier. The combined efforts of Matusiak and sophomore Hannah Hugeback gave the Pirates a 15-14 lead midway through the set. The third set proved to be the most competitive as the lead changed hands 13 times.

The Pirates lingered just one point behind towards the end of the third set after a kill by Shelbey Manthorpe but were sunk for good when senior Ashley Beyer recorded her game-high 17th kill. Beyer also added seven digs in the match.

Despite the loss, the Pirates received several honors at Friday night's 2011 Big East awards dinner. Matusiak was named to the All-Big East First Team, making her the first Pirate to be given that honor since Jennifer Cheshire in 1997.

Shelbey Manthorpe was also lauded for her efforts this season, being named to the All-Big East Second Team. She was one of three Big East rookies to be given the award and 2011 marks the second straight season that Seton Hall has had two representatives in the Big East final season awards.