Cabral Ties All-Time Record as Worcester State Serves MCLA their first MASCAC Loss of the Season
LEICESTER, Mass. – It wasn’t just any game day for the Worcester State Lancers’ volleyball team, as the gym was filled with high energy and decor for senior night. The Lancers took a stunning 3-2 win over the MCLA Trailblazers who went into the match with an undefeated Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) record.
The Lancers beat the Trailblazers in five sets with scores of 25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 18-25, and 11-15, taking the wins in the second, fourth, and fifth sets. The Lancers improve their record to 9-14 (2-3 MASCAC), while the Trailblazers drop to 19-8 (4-1 MASCAC).
"The conference win was a team effort," said head coach Bernie Chase. "MCLA is an excellent team and we knew we had to play really well in order to get a win tonight - which I am very happy we did, especially since it was senior night."
Senior Jennifer Cabral (Swansea, Mass.) led the team with a game-high 28 kills, tying the all-time school record for kills in a match. Cabral also recorded 12 digs in order to achieve a double-double on the night.
Junior Jamika Townsend (Virginia Beach, Va.) paced the team with 47 assists and also recorded a double-double on the night as she totaled 11 digs, three service aces, and three block assists.
Freshman Elexi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.) led the team with 17 digs, while senior Kaylee Leduc (Swansea, Mass.) tallied up 15. Also on the defensive end, senior Meghan Deighan (Lynnfield, Mass.) directed the team with seven blocks, while junior Valerie Hoyle (Bridgewater, Mass.) and sophomore Alysia Pearce (Pepperell, Mass.) logged five apiece.
For MCLA, junior Allison Clark (San Jose, Calif.) finished the game with 24 kills and 18 digs for a double-double on the night. Senior Courtney Parent (South Deerfield, Mass.) and freshman Beatrice Lechler (Point Lookout, N.Y.) led the team in assists with 23 and 20, respectively. On the defensive end, Clark was the team-leader with digs, while sophomore Chanielle Enomoto (Wailuku, HI) logged 12 and senior Angelica Perfido (Whately, Mass.) and sophomore Brittney Pihl (Port Jervis, N.Y.) added in 10 apiece.
The game was close all around, as the scores remained tight throughout the entirety of the game. Though, the final set was in Worcester State's hands to begin as they took a 5-1 lead over the Trailblazers. MCLA's Clark and sophomore Margaret Allen (E. Patchogue, N.Y.) tied up the score at five on service aces to tighten the gap. From there, Cabral was on fire and slammed a kill to take the lead once again, keeping the Lancers on top for the remainder of the game. Eventually, Worcester State would close the game out with a 14-11 score and an MCLA service error.
Worcester State will continue play this weekend as they travel to Gordon College for a tri-match starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24.
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