Women's Volleyball Forces Five Sets, But Lose a Hard Fought Battle to MCLA

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team hosted Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in a non-conference match Friday evening at Picknelly Arena for their annual Dig Pink Night.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 2 (13, 25, 14, 25, 8) | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 3 (25, 81, 25, 21, 15)
Records: Blazers 2-18, 1-7 (GNAC) | Trailblazers 7-13, 2-1 (MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening set would see Elms score first after a bad set made by MCLA, followed by a kill by senior Francesca Dirienzo (West Springfield, Mass.). The Trailblazers would then take the lead until a kill by sophomore Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Cali.) and a service ace from junior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, P.R.) to take back the lead. The two intrastate opponents would trade the lead back-and-forth until the MCLA scored in their tenth point and would go on to win the first set 25-13.

The second set would begin with an early 6-2 lead from the Blazers with the assistance from kills from Gibbs, Dirienzo, and junior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.). The Trailblazers would then get within two-points of tying the set, but a kill and a service ace from Izquierdo, along with kills and a cooperative block from juniors Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.) and Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) to extend their lead to 12-7. MCLA would continue to try to even the score, but the Elms offense would continue to extend their lead with the help from two service aces by Holman and kills from Izquierdo, Gibbs, and Marn. The Blazers would go on to win the set 25-18 with the assistance from a late service ace from Marin and a kill by Marks. 

The third set would see Gibbs record a kill for the first point of the set. The Trailblazers would then quickly take the lead. The Elms defense would try to defend the offensive attacks, but MCLA would control the majority of the set, winning the set 25-14.

The fourth set would begin with two kills from Izquierdo, followed by a service ace by Holman. The two sides would then trade the lead until the Trailblazers took a five-point lead. The Blazers would call a timeout and would then outscore their opponent 25-21 to win the fourth set and force a fifth and final set. Elms would record seven kills and two service aces during this stretch of time.

The fifth and final set started off with a kill from MCLA and back-to–back kills from Izquierdo, but the visitors would control the majority of the set offensively. Two late kills from Gibbs would give some life, but the Trailblazers would defeat the Blazers 15-8 to secure the set and match 3-2.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Izquierdo made 14 digs, 13 kills, and two service aces.

• Holman made 30 assists, 21 digs, four kills, three service aces, and a block assist.

• Sophomore Lillianna Simmons (Springfield, Mass.) made 20 digs and three assists.

• Gibbs made 17 digs, 12 kills, and an assist.

• Marks would add four kills, two digs, two solo-blocks, and a block assist.

• Marin added six digs, three kills, three service aces, and two assists.

• Dirienzo made six kills and four digs.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will host Johnson & Wales University in a conference match on Wednesday, October 23rd at 7 PM at Picknelly Arena.

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