Women's Volleyball Loses A Tough Match to Saint Joseph's Maine

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team hosted Saint Joseph's, Maine in a conference matchup Tuesday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 0 (9, 20, 14) | Saint Joseph's College, Maine 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 2-17, 1-7 (GNAC) | Monks 8-13, 5-2 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening set would see junior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) record the opening kill of the match, but Saint Joseph's would then take over offensively, scoring seven of the next ten points scored. During that stretch, junior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.) and sophomore Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Cali.) would record three kills, along with a service ace from Izquierdo, to trim the Monks' lead 7-5. SJC would then increase their lead by ten points, until it was shortly hesitated by a kill from senior Francesca Dirienzo (West Springfield, Mass.) made a kill for the Blazers, then the Monks would retake the momentum and win the first set 25-9.

Saint Joseph's would carry their momentum into the second set, scoring four early points. Elms would then see kills made by Izquierdo and junior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, P.R.), a service ace by Izquierdo, and a block from Marks and Izquierdo would help the Blazers tie the match 5-5. The Monks would then take back the lead, but Elms would continue to fight back with kills by Marks, Dirienzo, Gibbs, and Marin. SJC would hold their lead, but a late rally from the Blazers, which included kills from Gibbs and junior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.), until the Monks would score the final point and win the second set 25-20.

The third and final set would see Saint Joseph's would once again earn an early lead, two back-to-back kills from Dirienzo and Marin would cut that lead in half, but the Monks offense would continue their offensive momentum. The Elms offense would see kills from Dirienzo, Holman, Gibbs, Izquierdo, and sophomore Lillianna Simmons (Springfield, Mass.) would help momentarily, but SJC would take the set and the match 25-14.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Holman led with 20 assists, six digs, and two kills.

• Marin would make 19 digs and three kills.

• Gibbs made ten digs and six kills.

• Marks committed four digs, two kills, and a block assist.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will host the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in a non-conference match on Friday, October 18th at 6 PM at Picknelly Arena.

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