Women’s Volleyball Lose Conference Openers to Regis and New England

WESTON, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team competed in a conference tri-match at Regis College, against the Pride and New England College, on Saturday afternoon.  

BASICS
Match 1
Score: Elms College 0 (10, 10, 16) | Western New England University 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 0-10, 0-1 (GNAC) | Pride 9-4, 2-0, (GNAC)  

Match 2
Score: Elms College 0 (13, 20, 17) | New England College 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 0-11, 0-2 (GNAC) | Pilgrims 4-5, 1-0 (GNAC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1
The opening set would see Elms take an early lead with a kill by junior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) and a service ace by first-year Maria Codianni (Waterbury, Conn.). Regis would then tie the set and then take the lead. A kill by junior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, P.R.) would help the Blazers offensively but the Pride would walk-away with the first set 25-10.

The second set would begin with Regis taking an early lead, the Blazers would respond after a kill by Marin, but the Pride would then regain offensive momentum taking a 15-point lead. Elms would begin a rally late in the set after kills by senior Francesca Dirienzo (West Springfield, Mass.), junior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.), and Marks and a service ace by Codianni, but Regis would take the second set once again 25-10.

The third and final set would start with the two opponents trading points until the Pride took a significant lead. The Blazers would rally back to within two points with the assistance of multiple kills by Izquierdo and sophomore Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Cali.) and service aces by Marks and Izquierdo, but Regis would win the third set to win the match 25-16.

Match 2
The start of the second match would start off with Elms earning an early lead after multiple errors by New England College and a service ace by Gibbs. The Pilgrims would then begin to rally and take the lead from the Blazers. Dirienzo and Izquierdo would each record kills for Elms, but NEC would take the first set 25-13.

The second set would see the two conference opponents trading the lead early after kills by Marks and Gibbs, but the 'Grims would quickly secure a large lead. Kills by Marks and a service ace by Marin would give some offensive life for Elms, but New England would continue adding to their lead until a service ace by junior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.) and kills by sophomore Lillianna Simmons (Springfield, Mass.) and Marks would create a rally for the Blazers to gain the lead. The two sides would battle for the lead, which saw kills by Gibbs, Izquierdo, and Holman, but the Pilgrims would take the second set 25-20.

The third and final set would see New England taking an early lead, but Elms would show some offensive life after a kill by Holman and multiple errors by the 'Grims. NEC would continue to add to their nine-point lead, until service aces by Holman and Simmons and multiple kills from Gibbs and Simmons would help cut down the lead, but the Pilgrims would secure the set and match with a 25-17 final score.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Holman recorded 28 assists, 14 digs, three block assists, two kills and two service aces.

• Izquierdo made 12 digs, 10 kills, and a block assist.

• Simmons added 12 digs, four kills, an assist, and a service ace.

• Gibbs generated 12 digs, seven kills, an assist, and a service ace.

• Dirienzo created four kills, an assist, a block, and a block assist.

• Codianni made five kills and two service aces.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will host the University of Saint Joseph, Conn. on Wednesday, September 25th at Picknelly Arena at 6 PM.

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