Worcester State Tops Lasell, 3-1

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University Lancers' .239 attack percentage assisted in their 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20) win over the Lasell College Lasers Thursday night inside the Lancer Gymnasium.

Worcester State's trio of Emily Carens (Northborough, Mass.), Stephanie Chapin (Hampden, Mass.), and Sarah Powers (Hopkinton, Mass.) all reached double digits in kills as they registered 15, 12, and 13, respectively. Powers led the team with a .391 attack percentage and marked a game-best four solo blocks on the defensive end.

Worcester's Alexandra Nolan (Melrose, Mass.) tallied a game-high 42 helpers on the offensive front and registered four kills for the team's second-best attack percentage of .364. On the defensive end, the Lancers' Megan Leavens (W. Boylston, Mass.) led the team with 25 digs, while Caleigh Davis (Acushnet, Mass.) and Katrina Kangwijaya (Dunstable, Mass.) followed with 19 and 12, respectively.

For the Lasers, Olivia Addington (Orange, Calif.) and Michele Canestro (Castleton, N.Y.) each reached double-double figures as Addington collected a game-high 18 kills and 11 digs, and Canestro totaled 13 kills and 13 assists. Lasell's Taylor Tiezzi (Meriden, Conn.) aided the offense as she tallied 34 assists.

On the defensive end for the Lasers, libero Caitlyn Garica (Moreno Valley, Calif.) collected a game-high 26 digs, while Meredith Eagan (N. Andover, Mass.) led the team with four block assists.

The Lancers came away with their largest win of the night in the first set when they came from being behind by four and scored six unanswered points to take the 14-12 lead. From then, the Lancers ran away with the 25-16 win as the Lasers struggled on the offensive end.

In the second set, Worcester State took the lead on the third point and never let the Lasers back on top, despite five tie scores.  The second set marked the Lancers' highest attack percentage of the night at .324.

Lasell initiated a comeback in the third set when the set saw five lead changes and 10 tie scores. The set saw its last tie at 20-20 when the Lasers took the lead off a Canestro kill and seized the 25-21 win.

Worcester State snatched the win in the fourth and final set as Carens registered the last kill of the night.

This weekend, the Lancers (6-5) travel to Western Connecticut for a tri-match, while the Lasers (3-7) travel to Saint Joseph's (Me.) for their first conference matchup of the season.