Boston, MA --- Freshman middle hitter Shannon Thompson (Moorpark, CA) spiked for 13 kills, including eight in the second set, and added four aces to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston women's volleyball team over visiting Worcester State College, 25-13, 25-19, 25-13, tonight at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of UMass Boston in Boston, MA.

The Beacons win their 10th straight match to improve to 10-2 for their best start since 1999, when they won 11 of their first 12 matches. The Lancers fall to 4-7 on the season.

Thompson set the tone right away as UMass Boston scored the evening's first nine points on her serve, including three aces coming on her jump serve. Thompson finished the night with a .556 hitting percentage and added nine digs.

Worcester State owned an 11-8 margin in the second set and was tied with the Beacons at 17-17, before the home team pulled away to take the set. Thompson got things started in the third set as well with UMass Boston scoring the first six points on her serve and later took a 10-1 lead, before putting the match away.

Senior outside hitter Kate McWhorter (Bakersfield, CA) was lethal from the outside with 14 kills for the Beacons, including seven in the final set, on a .600 hitting mark, while picking up four digs and classmate Kate White (Plymouth, MA) smashed 11 kills on a .450 hitting percentage to go with a dig. Sophomore setter Cassy Hanneman  (Denver, CO) was the offensive catalyst, putting up 43 assists in just three sets and added two digs and a block solo. Freshman middle hitter Alexa Sullivan (South Dennis, MA) also chipped in, after missing a week with the flu, with three kills and three aces in addition to a block solo and a dig.

The Lancers were led by senior outside hitter Lauren Saylor (Swansea, MA) with seven kills to go with three digs, while senior middle hitter Colleen O'Brien (Shrewsbury, MA) spiked for four kills for a .375 hitting mark and added a dig and a block assist. Sophomore setter Brittany Stoddard (Orange, MA) directed the offense with nine assists and added an ace, two digs and a block assist. Freshman outside hitter Kate O'Rourke (Milford, MA) anchored the defense with a team-high six digs.

UMass Boston will be in action again on Thursday, September 24 when it hosts Johnson & Wales University at 6:30 PM at the Clark Athletic Center, while Worcester State hosts Western New England College on September 24 at 7:00 PM.

Courtesy of UMass Boston Sports Information