Women's Volleyball Downs Albertus Magnus In Season Opener

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College women's volleyball team opened the 2017 campaign with a four-set victory over visiting Albertus Magnus College, 3-1 (25-21, 14-25, 26-24, 25-23), in the opening match of the 2017 Blazer Invitational at Picknelly Arena Friday afternoon.

The Blazers (1-0) captured a 4-2 lead in the first set behind a kill and an ace from junior Danielle Redding (Las Vegas, N.V.), but Albertus Magnus (0-1) gained an 8-7 lead on an ace from freshman Genesis Cora Luquis (Meriden, Conn.). The Blazers regained control as Redding slammed a trio of kills to 15-9 advantage for Elms. Albertus freshman Ashley David (West Islip, N.Y.) propelled the Falcons back with three kills, along with an ace from sophomore Jesselle Guzman (Santa Teresa, N.M.) to trim the gap to 15-14. A kill from junior Rachel Magnuson (Miller Place, N.Y.) handed Elms a 19-15 lead, but strikes from Falcons freshman Kimberly Keller (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Luquis kept it close at 21-20. Elms freshmen Ayanna Meadows (Springfield, Mass.) and Dakota Stewart (Victoria, Texas) added kills to maintain a Blazers advantage, 22-20, and then a pair of strike from Redding wrapped up the 25-21 win.

A pair of kills from Luquis escorted the Falcons lead to 6-2 to begin the second set. Elms capitalized on Albertus Magnus errors to knot the score at 8-8. After trading points, the Falcons used a 9-2 run, featuring two kills from Keller, to develop a 20-12 advantage. Albertus Magnus used three straight kills from Luquis, Guzman and David en route to a 25-14 win.

David slammed two kills to kick off the third set, but Magnuson tallied a trio of kills to help the Blazers gain a 6-4 lead. Kills from Luquis and sophomore Delaney Ruiz (Meriden, Conn.) put Albertus with a point, 9-8, but Falcon errors and kills from Redding built a 13-9 gap. The Blazers created separation with a 5-3 run, capped by a strike from sophomore Hannah Adams (Deerfield, Mass.), to hold an 18-12 lead. An ace from Meadows followed another kill from Adams to push the advantage to 20-14. Elms freshman Hannah Pichardo (South Glen Falls, N.Y.) added two kills to put the Blazers up 23-18 until Elms errors and aces from senior Marielis Muriel (New Haven, Conn.) closed the lead to 24-23. After a kill from Luquis tied the set at 24-24, the Falcons suffered from a pair of errors to hand Elms the 26-24 win.

Trailing 5-4 in the fourth set, the Falcons grabbed an 8-5 lead as Ruiz sandwiched aces around Blazer errors. Magnuson pulled the Blazers back into the match with a trio of aces to gain a 10-8 advantage. Meadows and Pichardo notched kills during a 5-2 run that pushed Elms ahead 15-10. Adams provided a kill and an ace to make it 18-12, but the Falcons clawed back with a 6-1 run to trim the lead to 19-18. Redding denied the Falcons with a solo block, followed by a tally from Meadows to give Elms a 23-18 cushion. Albertus mounted a final comeback behind a pair of kills from Ruiz and David to whittle the lead to 23-22, but a slam from Magnuson shut the door on the Falcons for the 25-23 win.

Redding paced the Blazers attack with a match-high 15 kills, along with four digs, two aces and two blocks. Adams grabbed 16 digs with seven kills, while Meadows snared a career-high 23 digs with six kills and four assists. Stewart dished out a career-high 32 assists with a career-high 12 digs, and Elms sophomore Caroline Locke (West Springfield, Mass.) nabbed 18 digs.

David led the Falcons with a match-high 15 kills and 12 digs. Luquis had 15 digs and nine kills, while Ruiz tallied 16 digs and eight kills. Muriel notched 31 assists and 11 digs, and Guzman gathered a team-high 18 digs in the loss.

The Blazers will return to action to open the final day the Blazer Invitational against SUNY-Cobleskill at 10:00 a.m. Albertus Magnus fell to Castleton, 3-0, in the second match of day one, and will face SUNY-Cobleskill at Noon Saturday.

            ELMS VOLLEYBALL