Lancers Split Tri-Match, Grab Win over Owls

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Volleyball team returned home for just their second date this season as they hosted Westfield State and Connecticut College in an out of conference day of Volleyball fun. The matches were preceded by the alumni Volleyball game attended by several former athletes to grace Brissette Court. Graduate Student Camryn Burgio (Quincy, MA) was also honored prior to the second match in recognition of her 1,000 digs, which was recorded last Saturday versus Suffolk. The Lancers looked to come away with two wins on the afternoon.

Match One: Worcester State: 3  Westfield: 1

(23-25, 25-27, 25-19, 25-16)

The first match started strong for the Lancers with an intense back and forth battle between the teams that had neither team getting further than four points ahead throughout most of the set. A late surge by Westfield did extend the lead out to five briefly before the service of sophomore Kate Stredronsky (Sea Girt, NJ) had the Lancers closing the gap, but a solid swipe by Lauren Carnes put the first set out of reach at 25-23 for Westfield.

The Lancers would not be outdone though, jumping out to an early lead to begin the second set. While Westfield managed to briefly re-grab the lead, Worcester refused to concede any ground, playing them tight until 14- 5-point differential closed out the second with the Lancers walking away with the set victory. First year Beatrice Gamboa-Estrella (Simi Valley, CA) had a total of 21 total attacks and helped the Lancers get to a jump to a 22-16 lead over Westfield as senior Jess Rancourt (Grafton, MA) helped seal the deal with her services.

That trend would remain through the final two sets, as the teams would battle it back and forth for the lead, but the endurance of the Lancers showed through as they pushed their way to victory through long rallies and diving saves to win the final two sets. Sophomore Cassidy D'Esposito (Medford, NY) tallied 21 total attacks to help the Lancers jump to a 23-19 lead in the third set and help garner the momentum to push the team across the finish in the fourth set. In the final set the Lancers recorded 11 total kills on 27 total attacks to have their best set of the match recording a .333% kill percentage.

Junior Angela Colonis (Waterford, CT) led the team with 22 digs in the first game, Gamboa-Estrella recorded 10 kills on 35 total attacks. Stedronsky and D'Esposito each recorded three assisted blocks in the match.

The Lancers would have a few hours off before they were back on the court to take on Connecticut College, who had just defeated Westfield in straight sets.

Match Two: Worcester: 0  Connecticut College: 3

(19-25, 19-25, 17-25)

The Lancers came into the match ready to do battle with the Camels, having watched them in the first match against Westfield. Worcester State certainly picked up on some tendencies in the match, keeping the first set tied through 10 points apiece. A strong rally by the Camels would see them extend the lead by six, before the Lancers quickly stimmed their rally to bring the game back to within three. Worcester looked to be gearing up for a comeback, but the calm and composed Camels fed off the pressure and quickly wrapped up the remainder of the set.  

The second set followed a remarkably similar script, that saw the Lancers tied up at 12 this time, a while the Camels were able to gain a bit of breathing room, had real trouble extending that lead beyond two points until Riley Lord's service was pinpoint accurate on the Lancers gaps allowing Connecticut to grab a 23-17 lead that would give them the breathing room to grab the second set victory.

The final set saw fatigue setting in for both teams, but the grit and toughness shined as neither team was willing to concede the match. The Lancers had several comebacks that saw the game fall within two points for much of the set. The Lancers Kryptonite would again be Lord, as she found the cracks and slipped the ball around to provide the Camels their largest lead of the match at 18-11. For the remainder of the match the team traded a point or two back and forth, but the gap ended up being just too large for the Lancers in the third, as they dropped it 25-17.

Burgio led the Lancers with 20 digs in the match while Colonis recorded seven kills. Sophomore Kaitlin Cueva (Tewksbury, MA) was dominant on defense, recording three block assists in the match.

The Lancers now move to (5-8, 0-0) on the season and are back in action on Tuesday when open conference play versus Salem State at 7pm on Brissette Court.