Posted: Oct 29, 2021

Blazers Blank Owls

Keene State

(15-11,4-3)

Elms

(16-7,8-4)

Final

Keene State (15-11,4-3)

Elms (16-7,8-4)

Game Leaders

Keene State

K: Ali McLoughlin - 10

B: Elizabeth Johnson - 3

D: Reagan Fleming - 18

SA: 2 Players (#6, #12) - 1

Elms

K: Alanys Cruz Diaz - 17

B: Alanys Cruz Diaz - 2

D: Kianna Lozada - 24

SA: Natalia Caraballo Rivera - 4

Team Stats

Keene State

Elms

Hitting %

.214

.276

Blocks

4.0

2.0

Digs

Aces

Full stats

Chicopee, MA – The Elms College Blazers blanked non-conference opponent Keene State College in Picknelly Arena last night 3-0.

THE BASICS:

SCORE: Elms 3, Keene State College 0
RECORDS: Blazers of Elms (18-7, 9-3 GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Blazers came out hot and opened the first set 5-1. The Owls would not go quietly however, and tied it at 14-14. Elms responded by putting up six in a row to turn an 18-17 lead into set point with a seven-point lead. Laura Jensen (Torrance, CA) had two aces and Natalia Caraballo Rivera (Fajardo, P.R.) two kills in that stretch. The Blazers won 25-18 and took a 1-0 lead in the match.

Elms' momentum carried over into the second, where they never trailed. Five early kills put the Blazers up 5-1. The Owls rebounded with a 5-1 spurt of their own to draw within one and were still within one at 15-14. However, Elms continued to find answers, getting three in a row of their own from Christie, Diaz, and Lozada to go in front 21-16. The Owls made one final run at it looking to even the match, scoring five of six to get within 22-21, but they could not get over the hump, as a Govanna Rosado (Humacao, P.R.) kill and two miscues gave the Blazers the win and a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Blazers stayed strong, getting 18 kills on 43 swings in the clinching third set that saw them erase a 12-6 deficit by scoring nine consecutive points. Alanys Cruz Diaz (Humacao, P.R.) had three kills and Caraballo Rivera two aces in that span. An Owl kill ended the surge to make it 15-13, but Elms put up four of the next five to force a Keene State timeout with a five-point cushion (19-14) and the Owls were never closer than four again. Seven of the Blazers' final eight points on the evening came in the form of kills, including the match-ending one by Cruz Diaz. The Blazers won the set 25-20 and the match in straight sets (3-0).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-Cruz Diaz led all players with 17 kills and added 14 digs.

-Sabrina Christie chipped in nine kills and Caraballo Rivera eight as the Blazers hit at least .234 in every set, well above their .189 team average

-Kianna Lozada (Bayamon, P.R.) had match-high 24 digs.

UP NEXT:

- The Blazers are back in action on Saturday 10/30, as they host their Senior Day and trimatch against conference opponent Regis College and non-conference opponent Bay Path University for a 12PM start.

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