Lancers Wrap Up Great Lakes Crossover
Worcester, MA – The Worcester State volleyball team wrapped up its Ohio trip on Saturday, closing play at the Great Lakes Crossover with matches against Kalamazoo and Alma. The Lancers entered the day still in search of their first win of the season, looking to build momentum before returning home.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo 2-2,0-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn. | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Worcester St. 0-3,0-0 MASCAC | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma 4-0,0-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn. | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Worcester St. 0-4,0-0 MASCAC | 22 | 12 | 27 | 23 | 1 |
Team Stats
Kalamazoo
| Game Statistics | Worcester St. | Kalamazoo |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | -0.085 | 0.31 |
| Blocks | 2 | 3 |
| Digs | 29 | 46 |
| Aces | 0 | 13 |
Worcester St.
Alma
| Game Statistics | Worcester St. | Alma |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | 0.115 | 0.185 |
| Blocks | 8 | 3 |
| Digs | 71 | 86 |
| Aces | 9 | 6 |
Worcester, MA – The Worcester State volleyball team wrapped up its Ohio trip on Saturday, closing play at the Great Lakes Crossover with matches against Kalamazoo and Alma. The Lancers entered the day still in search of their first win of the season, looking to build momentum before returning home.
Final – Match 1
Worcester State 3, Kalamazoo 0
Final – Match 2
Alma 3, Worcester State 1
How It Happened
The Lancers opened the day against Kalamazoo, trading points early in a competitive first set. After the Hornets built a five-point cushion, junior Isabella Melo (Webster, MA) and first-year Reece Connors (Fresno, CA) chipped away with timely kills to keep Worcester close. But a late 11-point run gave Kalamazoo the upper hand, and the Hornets carried that momentum through the next two frames, taking identical 25–10 wins in the second and third sets to close out a 3–0 match victory.
Melo led Worcester with four kills, while sophomore Katherine Crateau (North Andover, MA) anchored the defense with 12 digs.
In their second match of the day, the Lancers battled Alma in a gritty four-set contest. Worcester nearly stole the opening set behind a Connors kill and service ace, but the Scots held on for a narrow 25–22 win. Alma pulled away midway through the second set to extend the lead with a 25–12 decision.
The Lancers roared back in the third, sparked by senior Cassidy D'Esposito (Milford, NY). After trailing early, Worcester clawed within striking distance, and D'Esposito delivered a pair of late kills to help secure a 27–25 set victory. In the fourth, Worcester kept the pressure on with another strong serving stretch from Connors, but Alma rallied down the stretch to edge the Lancers 25–23 and seal the match.
Crateau collected 19 digs in the match, while senior Paige Thomason (Hudson, MA) paced the offense with 11 kills.
What's Next
Worcester State (0–4, 0–0 MASCAC) returns to action on Monday, September 2, traveling to UMass Dartmouth for a 6 p.m. first serve against the Corsairs.