Women’s Volleyball Splits in Day One Action of 2011 Blazers Challenge

Box Scores

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College senior outside hitter Stacy Croteau (Agawam, Mass.) downed a combined 19 kills to help lift the Blazers to a split in day one action of the 2011 Blazers Challenge women's volleyball tournament on Friday evening at Picknelly Arena.

Elms (1-1 overall) fell 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-18) to Husson University (2-0 overall) in the opening match before sweeping Massachusetts Maritime Academy (0-2 overall) 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-5) in the second contest.

Husson 3, Elms 0

Against the Eagles, Croteau smashed a team-best 10 kills and recorded 12 digs, while junior outside hitter Christina Martin (Chicopee, Mass.) collected a team-best 16 digs and downed eight kills.

Senior setter Jennifer Rego (Fall River, Mass.) handed out 19 assists and notched nine digs, while freshman libero Caitlyn Larvey (Greenfield, Mass.) posted 10 digs.

Husson was led by Hannah Olstad (Farmington, N.H.) who drilled a match-high 13 kills, while Rachel Voicechovski (Westerly, R.I.) dug a match-best 22 balls.

Aleta Johnson (Milton, N.H.) led the charge with 26 assists in the winning effort.

Elms 3, Mass. Maritime 0

Against Mass. Maritime, the Blazers used 22 service aces including six from senior Anne Blanchette (Byfield, Mass.) and five from Rego to help even Elms' record at 1-1.

Croteau added nine kills, Rego dished out 15 assists and sophomore middle hitter Rachel Cowan (Ellington, Conn.) served up four aces to seal the victory.

Mass. Maritime was led by Victoria Presutti (Marshfield, Mass.) who floored five kills.  

SUNY Cobleskill 3, Mass. Maritime 0

SUNY Cobleskill (1-1) posted a 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-11) win over Mass. Maritime on the strength of eight kills from Kady Porterfield (Macdoel, Calif.) and a 10-assist effort from Mary Gallagher (Troy, N.Y.).

The Buccaneers received four kills from Alex Burgess-Chrost (Leominster, Mass.) and three from Presutti, while Laura Basile (Cambridge, Mass.) downed four aces and Michaela Garrity (Tiverton, R.I.) recorded seven aces in the loss.

Husson 3, SUNY Cobleskill 1

Husson used an 11-kill performance by Michelle Smith (New Boston, N.H.) and eight kills each from Olstad and Alexandra Barner (Woodstock, Conn.) to help down the Fighting Tigers 3-1 (25-14, 25-18, 21-25, 25-14).

Voicechovski and Kelsey Burrill (Somersworth, N.H.) collected 13 digs apiece, while Johnson distributed 31 assists in the winning effort.

Casey Holbert (Sauquoit, N.Y.) and Gallagher ran a balanced attack for SUNY Cobleskill combining for 15 of the team's 16 assists, while Elizabeth Stap (Pine Bush, N.Y.) and Brooke Burke (Lansing, N.Y.) totaled six kills each in the loss.

Day two of the Blazers Challenge continues on Saturday, Sept. 3 when Mass. Maritime squares off against Husson at 10:00 a.m. and SUNY Cobleskill takes on Elms at 12:00 p.m. at Picknelly Arena.