Women's Volleyball Downs Daniel Webster

NASHUA, N.H. – The Elms College women's volleyball squad defeated host Daniel Webster College, 3-1 (26-24, 25-13, 18-25, & 25-21), in a New England Collegiate Conference match at Mario Vagge Gymnasium Tuesday night.

Senior outside hitter Christine Searles (Tolland, Mass.) led the Blazers (5-17, 2-4 NECC) with a match-high 13 kills and added 14 digs, while freshman right side Ashlee Connors (Springfield, Mass.) added eight kills and junior setter Shannon Bolton (Sheton, Conn.) chipped in with seven to go with 22 digs. Senior libero Caitlyn Larvey (Greenfield, Mass.) added 22 digs while junior setter Kelly Melanson (Waltham, Mass.) handed off 16 assists.

Courtney Warrington (Canton, Tex.) and Madeline Roulier (Pittsfield, Mass.) notched 11 kills apiece to lead the Eagles (4-14, 2-3 NECC) while Amanda Gendron (Mont Vernon, N.H.) added 10. Nicole Beard (Shelton, Conn.) dished out 35 assists and Sarah Durocher (Keene, N.H.) picked up five aces. Roulier added a match-high 25 digs for DWC while Maggie Belli (Miami, Fla.) notched 18.

The first set saw 11 ties and six lead changes and DWC rallied from a 24-22 deficit to tie it on an Elms error and kill from Brianna Rowe, but back to back Eagle errors sealed the Blazer win.

Elms hit .303 in the second as Connors and Bolton knocked down four kills apiece while DWC countered with three from Gendron. Elms took control early bolting out to a 10-1 lead and DWC couldn't recover as the Blazers never let the Eagles closer than seven the rest of the way.

DWC responded in the third set to hit .184 while Elms hit .158. Warrington heated up to knock down five kills and both Roulier and Gendron registered a pair, while Searles picked up five kills to lead the visitors. DWC trailed just twice in the early going and took control with a 12-2 run that turned a 2-0 deficit into a 14-4 lead. 

In the fourth, Elms rebounded to hit .211 as Searles belted six kills while sophomore setter Carolyn Campbell (Miller's Falls, Mass.) knocked down three. The set was tied as late as 17-all, but Elms broke away behind a Searles kill and freshman middle hitter Kate Moriarty (Agawam, Mass.) ace for a two-point lead and later after DWC closed a 23-19 deficit to 23-21, Bolton and Searles followed with back-to-back kills to finish the match.

The Blazers will rerturn to action in a non-conference contest at Mount Holyoke on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. The Eagles visit Southern Vermont Saturday at 1:00 p.m.