Women's Volleyball Bring the Fight to Framingham, But Get Swept in Tri-Match

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – The Elms College Women's Volleyball team competed in a non-conference tri-match against Western New England University and Framingham State University Saturday afternoon. 

BASICS
Match 1
Score: Elms College 0 (13, 18, 16) | Western New England University 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 0-5, 0-0 (GNAC) | Golden Bears 6-0, 0-0 (CNE) 

Match 2
Score: Elms College 0 (12, 22, 14) | Framingham State University 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 0-6, 0-0 (GNAC) | Rams 1-3, 0-0 (MASCAC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1
The opening set would begin with the Blazers serving to the Golden Bears, but the Golden Bears would take the lead 3-0. Until WNE makes a service error resulting in a point for the Blazers. Sophomore Victoria Solis (Springfield, Mass.) serves to the Golden Bears which then results in an attack error giving the Blazers another point. The Blazers would not score until sophomore Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Cali.) gets a kill. The match continued to be in the Golden Bears favor until another service error resulted in a point for the Blazers. Then another kill for the Blazers by senior Francesca Dirienzo (West Springfield, Mass.) The Blazers get two more points because of service errors until junior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) gets another kill for the Blazers. The Blazers are down by 6 at this point in the match. Then, the Blazers gets one last kill by Gibbs assisted by junior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.) until they get their last point from a service error. Unfortunately, the Blazers were not able to get ahead and ended the match 13-25.  

The second set would start off the same as the first until the Blazers get a point from a service error putting the Blazers on the board. Holman would then get the Blazers another point on the board from a service ace. The game is now tied until the Golden Bears get a kill. However, the Blazers would get two points back-to-back from a service error and a kill by Solis assisted by Holman, resulting the Blazers to finally take the lead. But the Golden Bears would answer back by scoring 5 more points, until junior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.) gets a kill assisted by Holman. Holman gets another assist when Solis gets another kill for the Blazers. The Blazers are down by 4 until Izquierdo gets another kill to put the score to 11-8. After a timeout by the Blazers and being down by 8 the Blazers get 7 more points on the board. They got these points from a kill by Dirienzo and a mix of service aces and attack errors. The Blazers are only down by one but unfortunately are only able to put up 3 more points from another kill by Dirienzo assisted by sophomore Lillianna Simmons (Springfield, Mass.) and from attack and service errors. This set ended with a score of 18-25. The Blazers keep their heads held high before heading into their last set against the Golden Bears. 

The third and final set would be a different start. The Blazers start the set with a big kill by Solis assisted by Holman. That momentum did not last long because the Blazer would fall behind by 4 points. However, the Blazers then get two more points from a service and attack error. Followed by another service ace and attack error, but also a kill by Izquierdo assisted by junior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, P.R.) Then another kill by Izquierdo putting the Blazers only down by two. However, that would be the last kill made by the Blazers for the rest of the match. The Blazers do, however, get multiple attack and service errors, but the Blazers fall short and end the match 16-25.  

Match 2
The start of the second match would start with the Rams scoring two points. However, the Blazers would answer back by a kill by Hollman assisted by Solis and an attack error tying the set at 2-2. Solis then gets another kill of the night assisted by Holman. The Blazers lose momentum and are down by 8 points. However, the Blazers answer back with two kills back-to-back, one from Dirienzo assisted by Holman and the other by Marks with another assist by Holman. After the score being 6-16, the Blazers get a kill by Marin assisted by first-year Maria Codianni, her first points of the day. The Blazers get three more kills the rest of the match by Marks, Izquierdo, and Gibbs. The blazers also had one service ace and an attack error to finish off this set. The final score of this set was 12-25, leaving the Blazers short for the win.  

The start of the second set went in favor towards the Rams, but the Blazers had something to say about that. The Blazers took over and put 6 points on the board. The Blazers had one service error, one attack error, two service aces, and 2 kills all back-to-back. The first kill by the Blazers was made by Dirienzo and the second kill was made by Marin. This was the first time the Blazers had a major lead all day. After a couple of points were put up by the Rams, Izquierdo gets another kill assisted by Holman. The Blazers would keep the lead after scoring two more kills by Solis and Gibbs and with one more attack error. The score is now 10-6 in the game. This set was in the Blazers favor. They held the lead 14-8 with three service errors and one attack error. However, the Rams closed the gap and tied the set until Gibbs got another kill. Then, the Rams tie the set again until the Blazers get an attack error, putting them ahead by one. However, the Rams then take the lead. The Blazers only get three more kills for the set. Two were made by Solis and the other one was made by Izquierdo. The Blazers get an attack error tying the set, but even the two service errors would pull for the win. The final score for the set was 22-25. The Blazers had a close set but held their heads high to put everything they got into their last set of the match.  

The third and final set started off just like the second. The Rams put the first points on the board, but the Blazers answered back with a kill by Dirienzo and an attack error, making the score 2-1. The Blazers then get three more points, one kill by Marks, an attack error, and one service ace. This made the Blazers only down by 2, making the score 7-9. The Blazers had two more kills, both made by Izquierdo and assisted by Holman. And their last kill was made by Gibbs and assisted by Holman. Even with the other points the Blazers had gotten, unfortunately the Blazers could not get the win, ending the set 14-25, and 0-3 for the day.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Holman recorded 26 assists, six digs, a kill and a service ace.

• Izquierdo made 13 digs and nine kills.

• Gibbs added six kills and three kills.

• Marin made seven digs and three service aces.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will travel to Connecticut College in a non-conference match on Wednesday, September 11th at 6 PM.

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