Women's Volleyball Sweeps Tri-Match At New England College

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

HENNIKER, N.H. – The Elms College women's volleyball team picked up a pair of non-conference victories during a tri-match at Bridges Gymnasium, on the campus of New England College, Saturday afternoon. The Blazers (7-3) rolled over Nichols (2-8) in three sets, 3-0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-15), and then swept New England College (4-7) in three sets, 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-17).

Match 1: Elms 3, Nichols 0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-15)

The Blazers jumped to a 6-1 lead in the first set behind aces from freshman Dakota Stewart (Victoria, Texas) and junior Danielle Redding (Las Vegas, N.V.). The Bison closed the gap to 9-6, but Elms pulled away with five straight points, featuring a trio of service aces from sophomore Hannah Adams (Deerfield, Mass.). Leading 14-8, the Blazers cruised towards the finish with nine consecutive points, powered by three kills from Redding, to hold a 23-8 advantage. The Bison worked at the deficit, making it 24-14, but an error by Nichols gave Elms the 25-14 win.

Tied at 4-4 in the second set, the Blazers created separation with a 9-0 run, paced by three aces from freshman Ayanna Meadows (Springfield, Mass.), to hold a 13-4 lead. After two points from Nichols, Elms rattled off another 7-0 run, highlighted by three kills from Redding and two kills from junior Rachel Magnuson (Miller Place, N.Y.), to pull away with a 21-6 advantage. The sides traded points down the stretch, and a kill from Meadows locked up a 25-10 win.

Nichols held a 4-3 lead in the third set until Elms secured control with five straight points, including two kills from freshman Hannah Pichardo (South Glen Falls, N.Y.). Following a strike from Pichardo, Redding slammed four consecutive kills to hold a 13-5 lead. Redding sandwiched kills around a tally from Meadows as Elms escorted the advantage to 17-6. Leading 20-10 after a kill from senior Kate Moriarty (Agawam, Mass.), Adams notched back-to-back kills, and then Redding served up two aces to put Elms on the brink of victory 24-12. Following a three-point run by Nichols, Adams put the match away with a kill to lock up the 25-15 win.

Redding led the Blazers attack with a match-high 16 kills, along with seven digs and three aces. Adams snared a match-high 15 digs with nine kills and three aces, while Meadows grabbed 12 digs with a match-high four aces and five kills. Stewart tallied a match-high 33 assists with five digs and three kills in the win.

Match 2: Elms 3, New England College 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-17)

The Pilgrims held an early edge of the Blazers, 10-7, in the first set, but Elms responded as back-to-back kills from Redding evened the frame at 11-11. New England College maintained an advantage of the Blazers through a majority of the set as an Elms error put NEC on top 22-18. Elms held off defeat as Pichardo and Redding slammed consecutive kills, followed by an ace from Pichardo to close the gap to 22-21. After each side capitalized on an error, a Redding kill tied things at 23-23, and then Magnuson struck to give Elms the 24-23 lead, en route to the 25-23 win.

Trailing 8-6 in the second set, Elms tallied six straight points, featuring three kills from Redding and two from Magnuson to own a 12-8 advantage. New England College whittled the lead to 14-13, but Elms regained control behind a pair of kills from Pichardo. The Blazers pushed their advantage to 21-16, but the Pilgrims worked at the gap, creating a 21-19 game. Following a kill from Magnuson, the Pilgrims knocked consecutive points to trim the lead to 22-21. After an NEC error, Elms secured the win with an ace from Redding and a kill from Adams.

The teams traded points to open the third set until a pair of kills from Pichardo and Redding built a 10-7 advantage. Elms maintained their advantage with two strikes from both Magnuson and Adams to own a 17-14 lead. A kill from Pichardo and an ace from Stewart helped the Blazers to a 4-1 run, and then a pair of aces from Redding led to the 25-17 win.

Redding paced the Blazers offense with a match-high 14 kills, six digs, and a match-high three aces. Pichardo slammed a career-high nine kills with four digs, while Magnuson matched a career-high with nine kills. Stewart logged her seventh double-double of the season with a match-high 35 assists, 10 digs and two aces.

The Blazers will look to remain in the win column when they travel to Western New England University for a non-conference clash Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

ELMS VOLLEYBALL