Women’s Volleyball Advances Past Mitchell, 3-1 In NECC Quarterfinal Match
Women’s Volleyball Advances Past Mitchell, 3-1 In NECC Quarterfinal Match
CHICOPEE, MA – Elms College freshman
outside hitter Christina Martin (Chicopee, MA)
downed a match-high 12 kills and added 10 digs to help propel the
fourth-seeded Blazers to a hard-fought 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 18-25,
25-23) victory over No. 5 Mitchell College in the quarterfinal
round of the 2009 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC)
women’s volleyball tournament at Picknelly Arena.
With the win, Elms improves to 9-19 overall and advances to the
semifinal round of the NECC tournament. The Blazers will play
top-seeded Daniel Webster College on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 11:00 a.m.
in Nashua, NH.
Mitchell concludes its season 7-11 overall.
With Elms ahead 2-0 in the contest, the sides fought to four lead
changes and a 15-15 score before Mitchell rallied for five of the
next six points to post a 20-16 lead in the third stanza. A
Mariners attacking error and a kill by Elms sophomore outside
hitter/setter Jen Rego (Fall River, MA) brought
the Blazers to within two at 20-18, but Mitchell fended off the
sweep by scoring the next five points, highlighted by a kill each
from Brittney Zaccaria (White Plains, NY) and
Akesia Bernard (Hartford, CT) to force a fourth
set.
In the fourth frame, neither team led by more than three points as
the teams battled to a 24-22 score in favor of Elms. Shayna
Diggs (Gales Ferry, CT) kept Mitchell’s hopes alive
with her fifth kill of the night to pull the Mariners to within one
at 24-23, but Rego sealed the set and match with her ninth
termination of the night, lifting the Blazers to a 25-23 victory
and a berth in the semifinal contest.
Rego finished with nine kills and 12 digs in the winning effort,
while sophomore outside hitter Stacy Croteau (Agawam,
MA) blasted nine kills and added a match-best 21 digs.
Rego and senior setter/outside hitter Kim Phillips
(Randolph, MA) executed the Blazers’ offense nicely,
handing out 22 assists apiece. Phillips added 17 digs in the win,
while senior middle hitter Melissa Clark (Chicopee,
MA) added seven kills, 13 digs and five total blocks (two
solo, three assisted).
Sets one saw back-and-forth action until Elms was able to break a
21-21 stalemate thanks to a kill each from Clark and Phillips, a
ball handling error by Mitchell, and two Cl
ark service aces to secure the 25-21 victory and post a 1-0 lead
in the contest.
Leading 1-0 in the match, Elms built a 19-14 lead and didn’t
look back, scoring six of the next 10 points, never allowing
Mitchell to get to within more than three en route to a 25-19 set
two victory and 2-0 lead in the match.
Diggs and Stephanie Davis (Ledyard, CT) led the
offensive attack for Mitchell, downing five kills each, while
Zaccaria anchored the defensive effort with a team-high 17 digs.
Marie Connelly (Bronx, NY) and Davis each finished
with 10 digs on the night, while setter Jen Bordonaro
(Winsted, CT) captained the offense with 14 assists and
added seven digs of her own. Heather-Renae Powers (Niantic,
CT) contributed four total blocks (one solo, three
assisted) in the losing effort.
