The Owls regrouped to pull out a victory at Worcester State. (Photo by Cindi Williamson)
WORCESTER – Junior Julia Warner had a team-best 13 kills to lead Westfield State to a 3-0 victory over Worcester State in MASCAC women’s volleyball action yesterday at the Lancer Gym.
The Owls (2-11, 1-1 MASCAC) end a four-game skid while the Lancers fall to 9-6 and 2-1 in conference play. Westfield State won in three straight sets by scores of 25-23, 25-23 and 25-17.
Freshman Shannon Shea and junior Lindsay Rescott both finished with eight kills apiece for the visitors.
Sophomore Carolyn Cote had a squad-high 21 assists and freshman Stana Wheeler dished out 19.
For the Lancers, sophomore Alyssa Jasper finished with 14 kills and a .303 attacking percentage (14-4-33) and 11 digs. Classmate Amanda Lewis also finished with 29 assists and 15 digs.
Junior teammates Megan Brown and Emily Cox combined to amass 27 digs and 13 kills. Senior Becky Lebel added seven digs, six kills, two block assists and a solo rejection.
In the opening set, Westfield State clung to a one-to-two point margin for most of the start before they settled for the 19-16 advantage.
A kill by Brown, a block by Lebel and an attacking error helped Worcester State knot the match at 19-19. Warner, however, had plans of her own with consecutive kills for the 21-19 edge.
Play went back and forth until the Lancers equalized the game once again with straight kills by Jasper for the 22-22 game.
But the visitors would close the set with a 3-1 run for the 25-23 win. Rescott sparked the charge as the Owls also took advantage of a pair of miscues to take the opening set.
In the second set, Worcester State held a late 20-17 advantage, but Westfield State used a 5-0 spurt to take a 22-20 edge. After the Lancers rallied to tie the game, the two squads traded points for the 23-23 draw.
The Owls, however, took advantage of a pair of Blue and Gold miscues as a service error and a blocking error ended the match.
In the third set, the Lancers came out on fire, but Westfield State emerged with the 12-9 advantage following a 5-0 run.
After opening up a 17-10 margin, sophomore Nicole Molleur came up big for the Owls with three consecutive aces for a commanding 20-10 lead.
But the Lancers didn’t give up – rallying for four straight points to trail 23-17 – but it was not enough as they would ultimately fall.
Worcester State takes a break to regroup before they head to the Crabtree Classic hosted by Eastern Connecticut on Saturday, October 6. They will face the hosting Warriors at 12 p.m. and the University of New England at 2 p.m.
Westfield State comes back to Worcester to take on Clark and Rhode Island College in a tri-match this Saturday. The Owls take on the Anchorwomen at 1:00 and the host Cougars at 3:00.
