Women's Volleyball Loses a Tough Battle on the Road to Bay Path

LONGMEADOW, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team traveled to Bay Path University for a non-conference match Wednesday evening.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 1 (21, 25, 21, 11) | Bay Path University 3 (25, 21, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 2-20, 1-9 (GNAC) | Wildcats 9-11, 5-4 (USCAA - Div. I)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening set would begin with the two local opponents trading the lead after early errors committed. Junior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.) and sophomore Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Cali.) would record the opening four kills for Elms, followed by kills by senior Francesca Dirienzo (West Springfield, Mass.) and junior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.). The Wildcats would continue to keep the Blazers at an arm's length distance on the scoreboard, even after back-to-back kills by Izquierdo and a kill by Marks, but Bay Path would capture the first set 25-21.

The second set would begin with Elms with an early 10-2 lead, with the Blazers scoring seven-straight points to kick off the set. During this span, Elms would see kills from Marks, junior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.), sophomore Lillianna Simmons (Springfield, Mass.), along with a service ace from Holman and a block assisted by Dirienzo and Izquierdo. The Wildcats would try to fight back, but the Blazers would continue to shut down their opponent from the assistance of multiple kills by Izquierdo, Gibbs, Marks and Dirienzo, with a second service ace from Holman, and Elms would even the match 1-1, taking the second set 25-21.

The third set would see the two former conference foes trade the lead, but Bay Path would have the early advantage. The Blazers would see kills from Izquierdo, first-year Kaley Campbell, and Marks, along with a block from Dirienzo, but the Wildcats would continue to add to their lead. But then the Elms offense would rally back with the assistance of kills from junior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, P.R.), Holman, and Marks, with back-to-back service aces by Holman to bring the score to 12-13. The two sides would continue to battle, seeing kills from Marks, Izquierdo, and Gibbs, along with a service ace by Marks, but Bay Path would take the third set 25-21, to regain the lead 2-1.

The fourth and final set would be controlled early by the Wildcats earning an 11-1 lead. Kills from Izquierdo and Dirienzo would help Elms trim down the lead, but Bay Path would continue to add to their lead. Gibbs would record a kill and a service ace, followed by two kills from Marks, and a kill by Izquierdo, but the Wildcats would take the fourth and final set 25-11 and the non-conference victory 3-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Izquierdo and Marks would both record 12 kills.

• Marks added 15 digs and a service ace.

• Izquierdo made three digs and a block assist.

• Holman created 29 assists, six digs, four service aces, two kills, a block, and a block assist.

• Marin generated 28 digs, an assist, and a kill.

• Gibbs made seven digs, five kills, and a service ace.

• Dirienzo added two block assists, a block, three kills, and a dig.

• Campbell and Simmons would each record a kill, Simmons added ten kills.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will host Anna Maria College and Rivier University in a conference tri-match on Saturday, November 2nd at 11 AM and 3 PM at Picknelly Arena.

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