Women's Volleyball Preview: Mitchell

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College women's volleyball team will look to secure their spot in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) tournament when they travel to Mitchell College to close out their 2014 regular season Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

The Blazers are 5-19 on the season, and 2-5 in NECC competition. Elms is looking to end the regular season on a high note after dropping six of their last seven matches. Per set, the Blazers are producing 7.7 kills with 15.1 digs, 6.99 assists, and 2.3 service aces. Opponents are hitting .166 against Elms with 9.82 kills and 16.48 digs per set. 

Pacing the Blazers offensively is senior outside hitter Christine Searles (Tolland, Mass.) with a team-high 209 kills with 258 digs, 32 service aces and 24 assists. Searles ranks fourth in the conference in kills and sixth in digs. Junior outside hitter Alexandra Mack (Wilbraham, Mass.) has added 134 kills with 218 digs and 45 aces, fifth-most in the NECC, while senior libero Caitlyn Larvey (Greenfield, Mass.) leads the NECC in digs with 401, along with 34 assists and 28 aces. Freshman right side Ashlee Connors (Springfield, Mass.) has tallied 91 kills with 27 aces, and freshman middle hitter Kate Moriarty (Agawam, Mass.) has recorded 87 kills with 16 blocks. Junior setter Shannon Bolton (Shelton, Conn.) has dished out a team-high 408 assists for the year, ranking fifth in the conference.

Mitchell College owns a 5-16 overall record in 2014, with a 1-6 mark in the NECC. The Mariners have lost seven of their last eight matches, falling to opponents by a score of 21-5 in those eight contests. Mitchell is generating 7.26 kills per set with 6.51 assists, 1.62 service aces and 14.91 digs. The Mariners are allowing opponents to hit at a .136 percentage with 9.17 kills per set.

Junior middle blocker Amanda Garcia (New Britain, Conn.) serves as the offensive focal point with a team-high 185 kills, paired with 66 digs and a team-high 30 blocks, to rank seventh in the conference in kills and blocks. Freshman middle blocker Myia Williams (Roselle, N.J.) has contributed 143 kills and 20 blocks, while freshman right side Janelle Rice (Meriden, Conn.) has recorded 93 kills. Junior setter Nicole Caminiti (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) ranks third in the NECC in assists with 442, and junior libero Kaisea Caramante (Old Lyme, Conn.) has snared 368 digs, second-most in the conference.

Over the history of the matchup, Mitchell holds a slight edge over the Blazers, 4-3, in seven career meetings. The Mariners have won three of the last four matchups, including a five-set victory in 2013.

ELMS VOLLEYBALL