Babson Women's Volleyball Takes Down WPI, 3-0

WORCESTER, Mass.—Sophomore Gizem Yilmaz (Istanbul, Turkey) finished with six kills, six service aces, seven digs and a career-high nine blocks to help visiting Babson College sweep WPI, 25-19, 25-18, 25-11, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's volleyball action on Tuesday night at Harrington Auditorium.

With the win, Babson is now 9-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play, while WPI slips to 14-4 overall and 3-3 in the NEWMAC.

Sophomore Shannon Roseen (Malden, Mass.) hit .381 and led all players with 10 kills, while

Framingham State University Volleyball Downs Smith 3-0

Recap, photo courtesy of Framingham State University

Northampton, Mass. - The Framingham State University volleyball team secured a 3-0 non-conference victory over Smith College this evening on the road in non-conference action. The Rams earned the victory by scores of 25-10, 25-22 and 25-15.

With the win, the Rams improve to 12-6 on the year, while Smith falls to 3-14 on the year.

The Rams were led by senior Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) who recorded match-highs of 16 kills and 18 digs.  Rackliffe had just one error on her 34 attempts for a .441 hitting percentage.  Sophomore Casie Thurber (Springfield, Mass.) added five kills and five blocks, including three solo, while senior Julia Wan (South Deerfield, Mass.) added three kills and eight digs.  Freshman Deirdre Fay (Cornwall, NY) chipped in with five kills and eight digs, while junior Vicki Anderson (Attleboro, Mass.) added eight digs.

The Rams are back in action on Thursday night with a non-conference game at Clark University slated to begin at 7 p.m.

Seahawks Clip Vikings 3-0

Recap, photo courtesy of Salem State

Newport, R.I. -- Salve Regina defeated Salem State University 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-14) in a non-conference meeting at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Tuesday evening.

Olivia Summit (Peabody, Mass.) and Emily Hennessy (Hanover, Mass.) both tied for the team lead in kills for the Vikings with three each. Hannah Mullarkey (Salem, Mass.) had a match-high 16 digs for Salem State.

Salve Regina junior Samantha Higgins (Coventry, R.I.) - had a match-high eight kills while boasting a .46 2 hitting percentage. Higgins also added two digs, two blocks, and three aces. Salve Regina sophomore Erin Proctor (Canton, Mass.) - had a match-high 27 assists to along with nine digs, two aces, and a block.

The first set was back and forth with both teams holding the lead. The Seahawks were holding a narrow 16-13 when a kill from Annie Donahue (Chelmsford, Mass.) brought Syndey Puffer(Kittery, Maine) to the line. Puffer would serve eight times as the Seahawks completed a 9-0 run to stun the Vikings and take the first set 25-13. Salem State committed five straight errors to end the set.  Errors were a major problem for the Vikings as they committed 26 while the Seahawks only committed 13.

Salem St. (3-15)  will travel to Wentwworth for a tri-meet with Pine Manor on Saturday, Oct. 8th.

U.S. Women Remain Undefeated in Win over Italy

By Bill Kauffman (bill.kauffman@usav.org)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 the world, was energized by its bench play Friday after as it defeated Italy 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20 during the Olympic Games Pool B being staged at Maracanazinho Arena in Rio de Janeiero, Brazil.

The Americans, now 4-0 in Pool B with 11 points and in first place, conclude pool play against the world’s No. 3 China on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Team USA, though already qualified for the Aug. 16 quarterfinals following its victory over Serbia on Wednesday, is aiming to grab the top seed from Pool B.

Earlier today China lost to Serbia 25-19, 25-19, 25-22 to fall to 2-2 with seven points. Serbia is now in second place with a 3-1 record and nine points. Serbia challenges fourth-place Netherlands on the final day of pool play prior to the USA’s match against China. A Team USA win will secure the top spot in the Pool B heading into the quarterfinals. However, an American loss to China means Serbia can slip into the top seed with a win over Netherlands despite having lost to the U.S. earlier this week.

The top four teams from the two six-team pools advance to the quarterfinals with the top seeds

WPI Takes Out Eastern Nazarene in Straight Sets

Quincy, MA --- A balanced attack helped WPI spoil Homecoming for Eastern Nazarene in a non-conference volleyball match played Saturday morning.   The Engineers cruised to a 3-0 victory with sets of 25-6, 25-9, 25-14 for their sixth straight victory to improve to 16-5 on the season.

The Crimson and Gray scored the opening three points and never trailed at all in the match.   The guests hit .305 on the day, second best in 21 matches this season, including a jaw-dropping .455 in the second set, smashing 13 kills and making just three errors in 22 tries in the middle frame.

Azita Bakhtyari (Andover, MA) was the only player for either team to reach double figures in any statistical category other than attempts.   The freshman doled out 11 assists on the day to go along with four digs. Caroline Meyer (Easton, MA) also was strong as a setter, handing seven assists and totaling three digs.  Casey Hunt (Granby, CT) blasted a match-best eight kills, finishing with just one less than the Lions amassed all match, and Kat Hurlock (Burlington, CT) chipped in with six.

Cassandra Tomerlin (La Quinta, CA) paced all players with seven digs while sharing match-high honors with Ann Kaczowka (Seekonk, MA) in aces with three. Sam Bircsak (Acton, MA) stuffed the stat sheets with four kills, five digs and two blocks and Brooke Klepper (Miami Beach, MA), Melissa Daigle (Norfolk, MA), Brianna Parent (Epping, NH) and Bakhtyari registered multiple kills.  

Victoria Nassar (Salem, MA) totaled three digs, an ace and an assist while Holly Shumway (Franklin, MA) recorded a third set dig.

"We had a lot of great contributions today from our entire team, remarked WPI head coach Greg Poole. "We had the opportunity to mix up our line-ups and experiment with a variety of offensive plays.  It was great to see our players perform at such a consistantly high level throughout the entire match."

Hannah Welsh (Derry, NH) led the home team with five kills while notching six digs, four assists and two aces. Madisen Robinson (West Grove, PA) tallied a pair of kill and five digs while Joanna Joseph (Brockton, MA) finished with two kills. Kayla Dean (Lansdale, PA) posted five assists and Oksana DiCamillo (Eighty-Four, PA) recorded five digs.

WPI is at Springfield Tuesday evening for a key NEWMAC match.  Eastern Nazarene hits the road for a non-conference match at Framingham State on Monday.

Portions Courtesy Eastern Nazarene Sports Information

Duke Leads Volleyball over Mount Ida, 3-1

BOSTON, Mass. – Junior setter Andalyn Duke (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) set for 33 assists and fired a match-high five aces to lead the Simmons College women's volleyball team to a 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21) victory over visiting Mount Ida College this afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match at Moore Gymnasium in Boston, Mass. The Sharks have won four of their last six matches and improve to 9-11 overall and 6-2 in league play, while the Mustangs fall to 10-13 and 2-4.

Simmons held Mount Ida to a negative hitting percentage of -.010, while serving up 13 aces in the victory.

Duke also added a kill and three digs for the Sharks, while junior outside hitter Cailin Fredrickson (Columbia, Md.) smashed 12 kills, picked up six digs, fired an ace and got up for a block assist. Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Woodward (Deerfield, Mass.) also registered 12 kills and added seven digs and a block assist. Junior middle hitter Abby Hart (Westfield, Mass.) hit .500 for the match to fuel an eight-kill effort in addition to four total blocks. Junior libero Alex Itasaka (Bradford, Mass.) anchored the defense with a match-high 15 digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Mary Kate Reidy (Agawam, Mass.) led the Mustangs with 12 kills and a .222 hitting mark to go with five digs. First year outside hitter Kristy Walton (Fairhaven, Mass.) recorded six kills, three aces and seven digs, while senior setter Taylor Davis (Machiasport, Maine) set for 21 assists, got down for four digs and served up an ace. Senior libero Kelcey Koolman (Bedford, N.H.) led the squad with 10 digs on the defensive side of the net.

The teams played within three points of each other through the first 29 points and were knotted at 13-13, before the Sharks ripped off four straight points, paced by a pair of aces from sophomore right side hitter Amber Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev.), to take a 17-13 lead. The Mustangs later closed to within 20-17, but Simmons scored five unanswered points to close out the set.

The Sharks took a 9-8 edge midway through the second set, before going on a 9-2 run, fueled by two kills from Fredrickson, to take an 18-10 advantage. Mount Ida responded with a 9-3 stretch, behind a pair of kills from Reidy, to pull to within 21-19. Simmons put the set away by scoring four of the final five points.

The Mustangs cut the match deficit to 2-1 with a 25-20 win in the third frame. The Sharks jumped out to a 5-1 cushion, but Mount Ida put together a 10-2 burst, led by two more kills from Reidy, to take an 11-7 margin. Woodward later put down a kill for Simmons to pull the home team to within 13-12, but it was as close as the Sharks would get for the rest of the set. The Mustangs led by as many as five, before taking the set.

The teams played to 12 ties and four lead changes in the fourth set and were tied at 14-14 midway through the frame. Simmons scored 10 of the next 13 points, paced by a pair of aces from Duke, to take a 24-17 lead. Mount Ida made one last push, scoring four straight points, but Woodward swung for a kill to decide the match.

The Sharks will be in action again on Wednesday, October 21 when they host GNAC and cross-street rival Emmanuel College at Moore Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m., while the Mustangs host Suffolk University on the same night at 6:00 p.m.

Women's Volleyball Tops Roger Williams, Falls To Ithaca at Wellesley Invitational

WELLESLEY, Mass.—The Babson College women's volleyball team split a pair of matches at the Wellesley College Invitational on Saturday afternoon, defeating Roger Williams, 3-1 (25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 25-19), before suffering a three-set defeat (25-14, 25-21, 25-21) to Ithaca College at Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse.

Senior Alicia Wilde (Franklin, Mass.) finished with a match-high 11 kills and added 18 digs to lead the Green and White in its opening match.  Classmate Mary Donahue (Braintree, Mass.) recorded 10 kills and junior Alana Atchison (Pembroke, Mass.) hit .316 with seven kills and eight blocks, matching her career high. Classmate Lorraine Mackiewicz (Edison, N.J.) contributed eight kills and four blocks, fellow junior Jenny Karnes (Houston, Texas) added seven kills and two blocks, and senior Elizabeth Sullivan (Quincy, Mass.) led all players with 27 digs. Classmates Krissy Robertson (Dedham, Mass.) and Angela Price (Medway, Mass.) combined for 38 assists and 13 digs in the victory.

Babson (18-7) jumped out to a quick 6-1 advantage and then responded with a 7-2 run after Roger Williams (13-8) had taken a one-point lead to regain control of the opening set. The Beavers led by as many as seven early in game two and got two kills from Wilde and another from Karnes as part of a 6-1 spurt that gave them a two-set advantage.

The Green and White dropped a close third set before rebounding to close out the match with a six-point victory in game four. Clinging to a two-point lead, Babson ripped off five straight points on the serve of Sullivan, including a pair of aces, to build its biggest lead of the frame at 18-11.

The Beavers were unable to complete a sweep of Saturday's matches as Ithaca (22-3) hit .281 for the match and .464 in the third set to win 3-0.

Mackiewicz hit .350 and finished with 10 kills, Wilde added seven kills, six digs, and three service aces, and Robertson dished out a team-high 18 assists. Sullivan chipped in with a team-high 13 digs for Babson.

The Green and White never led in the opening set, but jumped out to an 8-4 lead in game two behind a pair of kills from Mackiewicz. The Bombers rallied though, scoring eight of the next nine points to take the lead for good on their way to a two-set advantage. The third frame featured five early ties, the last coming at 8-8, before Ithaca broke away by scoring 13 of the next 18 points.

Babson returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts MIT at 6 p.m.

MATCH NOTES
• Babson is now 6-8 all-time against Roger Williams and picked up its first win over the Hawks since 2008.
• The Beavers are 16-3 this season away from home.
• Sullivan is now tied for third on the program's single-season list with 488 digs, and needs just 15 to become the school's all-time leader.
• Wilde is now fourth all-time with 876 kills, and with 22.0 points on Saturday, she became the fifth player in Babson history to surpass 1,000 career points.

Cougars Race Past Framingham State, 3-0

Framingham, Mass. – In a matchup that featured a pair of emerging teams in the region, Clark University took control of the match early and never looked back, rolling to a 3-0 win over host Framingham State in non-league volleyball action on Thursday evening.

The Cougars improve to 16-4 with their third consecutive victory, while the Rams slip to 17-6 and have now dropped back-to-back matches for the second time this season.

In the first set, the Scarlet and White jumped out to an 11-6 advantage but Framingham State stormed back and actually took a 14-12 lead -  a scoring run that was aided by a trio of kills by Julia Wan (South Deerfield, Mass.), Annie DeLoid (Plymouth, Mass.) and Danielle Girard (Tivoli, N.Y.). Clark settled down and went ahead 20-17 before collecting the 25-19 win capped by consecutive kills by Courtney Pharr (Seattle, Wash.).

With the score knotted at 9-9 in the second set, the Cougars ran off nine of the next 11 points to surge ahead 18-11 following a Marina Ramos (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) kill and a Mia Cattaneo (Santa Barbara, Calif.) service ace. The Rams didn't go away, however, and closed the gap to 23-17 but another kill from Ramos was followed up by one from Ana Mercado (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) to seal the set, 25-18.

The hosts came out energized in the third and the score was close at 9-8 after a Girard kill. Clark went on another one of their patented scoring bursts and when the dust cleared they were in front 15-9.

Framingham State made one final push, getting as close as 17-16 as Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Wan hammered down kills. The Cougars put the match away, however, as Pharr tallied a service ace around a pair of Ramos kills, giving the Scarlet and White the 25-18 triumph.

Clark's offense was paced by Ramos, who totaled a match-high 17 kills to go along with nine digs, while Pharr had a strong evening as well, recording eight kills and a pair of service aces.
Rachel Webb (Celina, Texas) dished out a match-high 31 assists, Shannon Glass-Smythe (Albuquerque, N.M.) added nine kills, while Cattaneo led a strong back row for the Cougars, collecting 15 digs.

The Rams were led by Rackliffe, who finished with nine kills, while both Girard (seven kills, 15 digs) and Wan (seven kills, ten digs) just missed out on double-doubles.

FSU is back in action this weekend with a pair of matches against NEWMAC foes. They will face both Mount Holyoke and Smith on Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Clark, meanwhile, is off until Tuesday when they entertain Wheaton in a key conference showdown. First serve is slated for 7:00 p.m.

Clark University Rolls to 3-0 Win over Volleyball

Framingham, Mass. – In a matchup that featured a pair of emerging teams in the region, Clark University took control of the match in the opening set and secured a 3-0 win over host Framingham State University in non-league volleyball action on Thursday evening at the Athletic Center.

The Cougars improve to 16-4 with their third consecutive victory, while the Rams slip to 17-6 and have now dropped back-to-back matches for the second time this season.

In the first set, the Scarlet and White jumped out to an 11-6 advantage but Framingham State stormed back and actually took a 14-12 lead -  a scoring run that was aided by a trio of kills by Julia Wan (South Deerfield, Mass.), Annie DeLoid (Plymouth, Mass.) and Danielle Girard (Tivoli, N.Y.). Clark settled down and went ahead 20-17 before collecting the 25-19 win capped by consecutive kills by Courtney Pharr (Seattle, Wash.).

With the score knotted at 9-9 in the second set, the Cougars ran off nine of the next 11 points to surge ahead 18-11 following a Marina Ramos (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) kill and a Mia Cattaneo (Santa Barbara, Calif.) service ace. The Rams didn't go away, however, and closed the gap to 23-17 but another kill from Ramos was followed up by one from Ana Mercado (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) to seal the set, 25-18.

The hosts came out energized in the third and the score was close at 9-8 after a Girard kill. Clark went on another one of their patented scoring bursts and were in front 15-9.

Framingham State made one final push, getting as close as 17-16 as Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Wan hammered down kills. The Cougars put the match away, however, as Pharr tallied a service ace around a pair of Ramos kills, giving the Scarlet and White the 25-18 triumph.
The Rams were led by Rackliffe, who finished with nine kills, while both Girard (seven kills, 15 digs) and Wan (seven kills, ten digs) just missed out on double-doubles.  Sophomore Sarah Leonard (Southborough, Mass.) recorded a team best 22 set assists.

Clark's offense was paced by Ramos, who totaled a match-high 17 kills to go along with nine digs, while Pharr had a strong evening as well, recording eight kills and a pair of service aces.
Rachel Webb (Celina, Texas) dished out a match-high 31 assists, Shannon Glass-Smythe (Albuquerque, N.M.) added nine kills, while Cattaneo led a strong back row for the Cougars, collecting 15 digs.

The Rams are back in action on Saturday with a non-conference tri-match at Smith with Mount Holyoke beginning at 11 a.m., while the Cougars host Wheaton in conference action on October 20^th at 7 p.m.

Vikings Sweep Buccaneers

Salem, Mass. -- Allison Vellucci (Northville, MI) recorded 10 kills as she led the Vikings of Salem State to a three-game sweep over the Buccaneers of Massachusetts Maritime Academy (25-22, 26-24, 25-19) on Tuesday evening at Twohig Gymnasium. The win enhances Salem State's record to 5-13 and 2-2 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Buccaneers drop to 4-15 and 0-3 in the MASCAC.

The Vikings' attack dominated Massachusetts Maritime in the first set, recording double the amount of kills the Buccaneers had with 12.  Emily Peay (Lebanon, CT) contributed heavily for Salem State as she tallied nine kills on the night. However, in set two, Salem State ran into trouble as they surrendered a six-point lead late in the set, allowing Mass Maritime to comeback. Despite their late efforts, the Buccaneers were unable to stop Salem State's front three as Peay pushed the Vikings past the Bucs.

In the third, Salem State completed the sweep as they cruised past the Buccaneers 25-19 including a 5-0 run midway through, led by Jerika Santiago (Methuen, MA) who tallied three kills during that run. Despite being swept, Charleen Klangos (Lowell, MA) carried her team with 10 kills as the rest of the team only combined for seven. Emily Calnan (Hingham, MA) recorded five aces while Stephanie O'Connor (Westwood, MA) finished with 15 digs. Emma Ethier (Norton, MA) contributed 15 assists for Mass Maritime.

Mackenzie Salls (Turner Falls, MA) posted an impressive 20 assists in the win while Santiago, Peay and Kaleena Kara (Douglas, MA) combined for 24 digs.

The Vikings will take the court again on October 17th when they travel to SUNY-Delhi for a tri-meet with MCLA beginning at 11:00 a.m. The Bucs will resume action on the 17th as well when they host Worcester State for a double-header beginning at 11:00 a.m.

UMass Boston Volleyball Earns 3-0 Conference Win Over Southern Maine

GORHAM, Maine – Led by Julia Murphy's (Canton, Mass.) 10 kills and .474 hitting percentage, volleyball earned a huge Little East Conference victory as they blanked the Huskies of the University of Southern Maine by the final of 3-0 Tuesday evening at Hill Gymnasium.

THE BASICS
UMass Boston 3, University of Southern Maine 0
UMass Boston (6-10, 3-1 Little East Conference)
University of Southern Maine (10-13, 1-3 Little East Conference)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Looking to stay atop the conference standings, the Beacons needed to earn the huge conference victory.  In the first set, the Beacons narrowly defeated the Huskies 25-23.  They would then pull out a 25-22 win to take a 2-0 lead.  With all the momentum in the favor, the Beacons pounded the Huskies in the third, as they took a 25-10 win to earn the shutout victory.

As a team the Beacons hit .229 in the conference victory, while the Huskies finished with a mere .020.  Murphy scored 10 kills on 19 attempts, and was charged with one error, as the junior hitter had another strong conference performance.

Setter Pepper Baker (Tallahassee, Fla.) once again anchored the Beacons offense with her 26 assists, while also helping out defensively with a combined 13 digs.  Eileen Shi (San Francisco, Calif.) recorded nine kills and finished with seven digs, as she was named the conference Rookie of the Week for the second time this season on Monday.

Elizabeth Glavan (Edina, Minn.) totaled 11 digs, and also scored two of the Beacons six aces.  Defensively, UMass dominated the Huskies at the net totaling four solo blocks and 20 block assists, for a combined 14 team blocks.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Tuesday's win marked the second 3-0 conference win for the Beacons and third on the year
• As a team UMass Boston is hitting .231, they are also averaging 13.08 kills per set and 16.85 digs per set against conference opponents
• Murphy has now hit over .400 in three of her last five matches
• Pepper Baker was named the Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career on Monday.

WHO'S NEXT
Volleyball returns to action on Friday when they travel to Williams College for a 7 p.m. non-conference match.

Daigle Named NEWMAC Women's Volleyball Player of the Week

BOSTON -- WPI sophomore Melissa Daigle (Norfolk, MA) has been chosen as the NEWMAC Women's Volleyball Player of the Week. She becomes the first Engineer honoree since Joan Porambo in 2010.

Daigle amassed 59 kills last week as the Engineers went 4-0 including a thrilling 3-2 victory over defending NEWMAC tournament champion Babson. The sophomore outside hitter reached double figures in kills in all four matches, including 18 and 17 respectively in conference wins against Babson and Smith. Daigle also totaled 20 digs and six blocks. 

WPI returns to action Saturday with a trip to Eastern Nazarene. First serve is slated for 11am.

NEWMAC Release

Bain, Meyer Pick Up Ivy League Awards

Meyer earned her first career Ivy League award after averaging 2.25 kills, 1.75 blocks and hitting .385  (Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard women's volleyball team has swept the Ivy League weekly awards for a second time this season as Corinne Bain has been named Player of the Week with Jocelyn Meyer taking home Rookie of the Week plaudits.

Bain has been named the Ancient Eight's Player of the Week four of six weeks this season, and boasts nine Player of the Week awards for her career. She has been recognized by the Ivy League with either a weekly award or inclusion on the Honor Roll 24 out of 28 weeks during her career, including 20 consecutive weeks dating back to her freshman season.

This marks the first Rookie of the Week accolade for Meyer. Harvard previously swept the Ivy League weekly awards on Sept. 22 with Bain earning Player of the Week honors and Christina Cornelius being tabbed as the Rookie of the Week.

Bain and Meyer led Harvard to wins over Brown and Yale to remain tied atop the Ivy League standings. The Crimson and Dartmouth both stand at 4-1 in League play, one game ahead of Yale and Penn who sit at 3-2.

A native of Manhattan Beach, California, Bain averaged 2.88 kills, 5.50 assists and 2.38 digs over the weekend. She turned in her fourth triple-double of the season with 16 kills, 24 assists and 12 digs versus Brown, and contributed seven kills, 20 assists and seven digs in the team's sweep of Yale.

Meyer earned the first two starts of her career against Brown and Yale, and rewarded the coaching staff with a breakout weekend. The freshman from Springboro, Ohio, contributed seven kills and nine blocks Friday versus the Bears, and followed that up with 11 kills, a .611 hitting percentage and five blocks against the Bulldogs. Over the two matches she averaged 2.25 kills, 1.75 blocks and hit .385.

Harvard will hit the road this weekend traveling to Columbia (Oct. 16) and Cornell (Oct. 17). Both matches can be seen live on the Ivy League Digital Network.

Amherst Volleyball Rebounds with 3-0 Sweep of Hamilton

CLINTON, N.Y. - The Amherst College women's volleyball team posted a 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-13) sweep of Hamilton College in Saturday afternoon's NESCAC contest at Scott Field House in Clinton, N.Y.

RECORDS
Amherst (13-2, 5-2 NESCAC)
Hamilton (3-12, 1-5 NESCAC)

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

• Amherst received a 20-kill effort from Maggie Danner '17, and an 11-kill outing from Nicole Gould '17 as the Purple & White hit at a .386 clip for the match.
• Nicole Carter '16 handed out 37 helpers and added six digs, while Katie Warshaw '16 and Asha Walker '18 collected 14 digs each to help pace Amherst in the win.
• Warshaw and Walker served up two aces each, Marialexa Natsis '18 floored seven kills, and Lizzie Ahern '16 added six kills to help seal the victory.
• Danner hit .576 for the match (20K, 1E, 33TA), while Gould hit .450 (11K, 2E, 20TA).
• Erin Donahue led Hamilton with 10 kills and 10 digs, while Sophie Zacharakis finished with seven kills. Jamie Granskie led all players with 20 digs, while Meghan Wilkinson and Kyndal Burdin added eight digs each.
• Wilkinson added 17 assists and three service aces, while Burdin dished out 12 assists.
• Amherst held a 6-4 edge in service aces, and a 4-2 mark in total blocks.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Amherst has now won six of its last seven matches dating back to Sept. 26 and non-league tri-match action at Babson College.

UP NEXT

• Amherst is back in action Wednesday, Oct. 14 when it hosts Colby-Sawyer College at 7 p.m. at LeFrak Gymnasium in non-conference play.
• Hamilton returns to the court Tuesday, Oct. 13 when it hosts SUNY Oswego at 6:30 p.m. at Scott Field House in a non-league match.

Women's Volleyball Splits With Colby-Sawyer, Endicott

Karnes, Sullivan Named To All-Tournament Team
BEVERLY, Mass.—The Babson College women's volleyball team split a pair of matches to finish second at the Endicott College Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The Beavers defeated Colby-Sawyer College in four sets (19-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-16) to open the day before falling to the host Gulls in straight sets (25-19, 25-18, 25-20).

Babson, which is ranked ninth in the most recent NEWVA regional poll, is now 15-6 on the year. Endicott, which is ranked 12th in the NEWVA poll, won the tournament and is 15-7 overall, while Colby-Sawyer dropped two of its three matches to fall to 5-20.

Senior Mary Donahue (Braintree, Mass.) led all players with 15 kills, and classmate Alicia Wilde (Franklin, Mass.) added nine kills and three blocks in the first match of the day against the Chargers. Senior Elizabeth Sullivan (Quincy, Mass.) recorded a match-high 14 digs, while classmate Krissy Robertson (Dedham, Mass.) dished out 14 assists for the Green and White.

After dropping the opening set, Babson jumped on top early in game two and never trailed on its way to evening the match. The Beavers took advantage of 10 errors by Colby-Sawyer in the third set to take the lead, and then emerged from four ties and one lead change early in game four to pull away for the win.

The Green and White was unable to finish the weekend with a sweep, as it hit just .090 and made 11 service errors in the loss to the Gulls. Babson led for much of the first set, the final time coming at 16-15, before Endicott scored 10 of the next 13 points to grab a 1-0 lead.

After five ties and two lead changes early in the second set, the Beavers closed to within 19-18 on a service error late in the frame, but Endicott responded with six consecutive points, including a pair of kills and a pair of aces to take a two-set lead. Babson led just once in the third frame and despite pulling within four at 22-18, the Green and White was unable to complete the rally as the Gulls took advantage of two late service errors to close out the match.

Junior Jenny Karnes (Houston, Texas) recorded a team-high 10 kills and was named to the Endicott Invitational All-Tournament team along with Sullivan, who led all players with 22 digs. Donahue contributed nine kills and five digs, Robertson led the Beavers with 12 assists and senior Angela Price (Medway, Mass.) added 10 assists and four digs.

Babson returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Emerson at 7 p.m.

MATCH NOTES
• The Beavers are now 12-6 all-time against Colby-Sawyer and 7-6 against Endicott.
• With the split on Saturday, Babson is now 14-2 this season away from home.
• With two kills on Saturday, Robertson moved into 10th place on the program's all-time list with 563 for her career.
• Sullivan is now seventh on the Babson single-season list with 393 digs this season.

Volleyball Rebounds After Slow Start for 3-1 Win Over Lesley Lesley

Framingham, Mass.- The Framingham State University volleyball team received seven kills and seven blocks from senior Annie DeLoid (Plymouth, Mass.) as the Rams defeated Lesley University 3-1 in non-conference action at the Athletic Center this evening.    

With the win, the Rams improve to 15-4 on the year, while the Lynx fall to 8-7 with the loss.

DeLoid tallied her seven kills on 18 attempts with three blocks and filled the stat sheet with seven blocks, including three solo, to go along with two service aces.  Junior Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) recorded 19 kills on 29 attempts with three error for .522 hitting percentage in the game and also assisted on four blocks.

Senior Danielle Girard (Tivoli, NY) had a solid all-around game for the Rams with nine kills, three aces and a team-best 14 digs.  Sophomore Sarah Leonard (Southborough, Mass.) recoded 30 set assists and nine digs, while junior Julia Wan (South Deerfield, Mass.) added eight kills, four aces and six digs.

The Lynx were led by eight kills on 25 attempts from sophomore Kaylee Deluga (Dennis, Mass.).  Senior Danielle McDonald (Lilitz, Penn.) led the defensive effort with a match-best 18 digs, while classmate Emily Marden (Fremont, Calif.) chipped in with 23 assists and two aces.

Trailing 17-14 in the opening set, the Lynx rattled off 11-4 run to close the set and secure the game one victory, but the Rams took control in the second opening up a 16-8 lead and never looked back.
The Rams are back in action on Saturday afternoon with a non-conference tri-match at St. Joseph's (ME) beginning at 11 a.m., while the Lynx host Bay Path in an NECC match beginning at 1 p.m

No. 25 Women's Volleyball Defeats Emmanuel, 3-1

BOSTON, Mass. – The nationally-ranked No. 25 MIT women's volleyball team extended its winning streak to 14 following a 25-12, 25-14, 17-25, 25-18 victory at Emmanuel College on Thursday night. Sophomore Lisette Tellez (Miami, Fla.) registered her fifth double-double of the season courtesy of a match-high 13 kills and 10 digs as the Engineers improved to 19-1 on the year.

MIT overpowered the Saints in the early going, jumping out to an 8-2 lead and forcing Emmanuel to call a timeout. The teams traded points in middle of the set, as the Cardinal and Gray maintained the six-point cushion at 14-8. The visitors would close out the set in style, as two kills each by junior Megan Gebhard (Howell, Mich.) and sophomore Alli Davanzo (St. Johns, Fla.) contributed to a 11-4 run, ending the set at 25-12.

The Saints came out of the first break with some fight, taking the first three points beginning with a kill by freshman Mary Shelow (Miami, Fla.). Tellez added four kills in a span of nine total points to lift the NEWMAC leaders to a 9-7 edge that they would not relinquish. Freshman Kerrie Greene (Alpharetta, Ga.) added three kills to help the Engineers run away with the set, winning 25-14.

Emmanuel began the third set with an offensive charge, jumping out to a 6-0 advantage, thanks in part to two kills by junior Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.), leading to an MIT timeout. The break did not stop the Saints' momentum as they extended the lead to 19-8. After a kill by sophomore Rachel Parus (Fraser, Mich.) made it 19-9, the Engineers put together a small rally, cutting the Emmanuel lead to 22-16, but the Saints scored three of the next four points, to win the set 25-17.

The fourth set began much like the third, with the Saints taking the first three points and jumping out to a 9-6 lead. MIT responded with a quick 4-1 run, evening the score at 10 on a kill by junior Jennie Glerum (Redmond, Wash.). The Engineers took over from that point on, opening up a 19-14 edge and prompting Emmanuel to use a timeout. The Saints scored the first point once action resumed, but MIT showed a finishing touch and was able to close out the frame, 25-18.

Freshman Abby Bertics (La Jolla, Calif.) compiled 10 kills and a .421 hitting percentage as Davanzo finished with nine kills on a .375 hitting effort. Glerum posted seven kills and two aces while freshman Fiona Tanuwidjaja (Renton, Wash.) dished out 40 assists. Junior Tori Wuthrich (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) led all players with 23 digs and three aces as sophomore Clare Farley (La Jolla, Calif.) contributed 10 digs. Senior Meryl Gibbs (Bellaire, Texas) bolstered the defense with a team-high three blocks.

The Saints (4-11) were led by Shelow with seven kills and senior captain Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) with six kills. Junior Sarah Schemerhorn (Los Angeles, Calif.) added 12 digs in the loss.

MIT continues non-conference play on Tuesday, Oct. 13 when it hosts Mount Ida College in Rockwell Cage at 6:00 p.m.

Western New England drops 3-0 decision at Gordon in Commonwealth Coast Conference play

WENHAM, MA – The Western New England women's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision at Gordon Wednesday evening (Oct. 7) in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match.

WNE played a close first set coming up just short at 25-23. The Fighting Scots took the next two games by the scores of 25-18 and 25-13.

Caryl Skibinski had nine kills while Olivia Lathrop contributed seven kills and four blocks for the Golden Bears who are now 8-6 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Western New England also received 11 assists and seven digs from Jessica Sincero and eight assists and eight digs from Jenna Leuck.

Carleigh Petersen led Gordon with 14 kills while Renee Cooprider had 32 assists and Maggie Risma 14 digs.

The Fighting Scots are now 10-8 and 3-2 in the CCC.

Fredrickson, Alberghini Lead Volleyball at Norwich, 3-0

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Junior outside hitter Cailin Fredrickson (Columbia, Md.) smashed 13 kills and senior right side hitter Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.) spiked for eight to lead the Simmons College volleyball team to a 3-0 (27-25, 25-12, 25-19) victory over host Norwich University this evening in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match at Andrews Gymnasium in Northfield, Vt. The Sharks improve to 7-9 overall and 4-2 in league play, while the Cadets fall to 3-10 and 0-5.

Simmons trailed just once in the opening set (9-8) and owned the largest lead of the frame at 15-11, but most of the set was played within two points. Sophomore right side hitter Amber Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev.) provided the final two points of the set for the Sharks with a kill and an ace to give them the first set win at 27-25.

The second set began like the first with both teams tied at 5-5, but Simmons went on a blistering 12-1 run, fueled by four of Peterson's team-high six aces for the match. The Sharks stood with a 17-6 cushion and retained their lead the rest of the way with Fredrickson firing an ace to give Simmons the win at 25-12. The visitors posted a .381 hitting mark for the frame.

Norwich scored the first five points of the third set and later owned a 10-4 advantage. Simmons regrouped and put together a 7-1 burst, led by a pair of kills from junior middle hitter Abby Hart (Westfield, Mass.) and an ace from junior setter Andalyn Duke (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) to knot the score at 11-11. The Cadets later stayed within 16-15 and 21-18, but the Sharks tallied four of the final five points to win the set and the match.

Fredrickson racked up a match-high 16 points to lead Simmons on the night. She swung for 13 kills and served up three aces, while adding three digs and hit .235 for the night. Alberghini registered a .429 hitting mark, which was mirrored by Hart to fuel her seven kills. Junior libero Kat Guillotte (New Bedford, Mass.) picked up 10 digs, seven assists and three aces, while Duke set for 18 assists, scooped up eight digs and served for three aces.

Senior middle hitter Tara Lyons (Pocasset, Mass.) led Norwich with 11 kills on a .304 hitting percentage and added seven digs and two total blocks. First year Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) scooped up 10 digs to bolster the defense, while sophomore setter Katie Crane (Avon, N.Y.) recorded 20 assists and two digs.

The Sharks will be in action again on Saturday, October 10 when they host GNAC rival Albertus Magnus College at Moore Gymnasium at 1:00 p.m., while the Cadets head to Lyndonville, Vt. on October 14 to take on Lyndon State College at 6:30 p.m.

Gordon Volleyball Stuns Golden Bears with Sweep

WENHAM, Mass.— Gordon Women's Volleyball never trailed in a commanding 3-0 sweep of Western New England on Wednesday night. The Fighting Scots checked another box off their list by beating the Golden Bears for the first time since 2008.

Gordon improves to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference, while Western New England falls to 8-6 and 2-1 in the CCC.

The Fighting Scots faced a tall task of attempting to knock off the Golden Bears, who are continuously among the conference's elite teams. Coming into the night, Western New England had swept Gordon in six consecutive appearances dating back to the 2008 season.

Gordon came out swinging out of the gate, quickly building a 5-0 lead in the first set. The Scots led by as many as six in the set, but Western New England battled all the way back to tie the match at 20 points. The Fighting Scots have struggled to find their footing in close sets at times this season, but Gordon looked confident in taking five of the final six points to take an early edge.

The Plaid raced out to the early lead again in the second frame with a 9-4, but Western New England refused to go away. The Golden Bears won five of the next six points, capped off by a kill from Alona Kornberg (Fair Lawn, N.J.), to pull back within a tally.

The scales tipped back in the other direction as Gordon went on a 9-2 run and opened a 19-11 lead. Carleigh Petersen (North Hills, Calif.) proved to be big during the run with a pair of kills.

Western New England got back within as many as three points at the very end, but Gordon was able to hold on for a 25-18 lead.

The third set followed a similar pattern with Gordon grabbing a lead and Western New England countering with a run of its own. With Gordon leading 12-10, the Fighting Scots went on an eight-point tear to take a big lead. The Golden Bears could only muster three points the rest of the way and Gordon closed out the three-game sweep.

Carly Skibinski (Milford, N.J.) led the Golden Bears with nine kills and a .353 hitting percentage. Olivia Lathrop (Farmington, Conn.) added seven kills as well. Jessica Sincero (Verplanck, N.Y.) put up 11 assists, while splitting setting duties with Jenna Leuck (Dumont, N.J.), who led the Bears with eight digs.

Gordon's well-oiled machine was run by freshman Renee Cooprider (Hopkinton, Mass.), who set up 32 kills on the night. Petersen powered the attack with 14 kills and added five digs. Maggie Risma (Hudson, Ohio) had another strong match with 14 digs to pace the Gordon defense. Meghan Hokanson (Coon Rapids, Minn.) had a solo block and four block assists.

Gordon is back in action on Saturday when they host Pine Manor for a pair of matches. Western New England travels to Roger Williams on Friday.