NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Worcester State University women's volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Brandeis on Friday (Oct. 20), and then came back to win two matches against Smith and Bridgewater State on Saturday (Oct. 21) to go 2-1 at the Smith/Amherst Hall of Fame Invitational.
THE BASICS
Smith/Amherst Hall of Fame Invitational
Northampton, Mass.
Worcester State Record (20-8)
BRANDEIS 3, WORCESTER STATE 1
Worcester State fell to the Judges of Brandeis with set scores of 25-19, 25-12, 23-25, 26-24 in a Friday evening matchup.
Worcester State's offense was led by Amari King (Lawrence, Mass.) and Emily Carens (Northborough, Mass.) who had 11 and 12 kills, respectively. King also tallied 14 digs for a double-double, and chipped in three service aces.
Megan Leavens (Storrs, Conn.) ran the defense with 31 digs.
Brandeis was led by Shea Decker-Jacoby, who recorded a match-best 18 kills. Marissa Brgert added in 15, while Zara Platt recorded 14. Marlee Nork led in assists with 36, while Yvette Cho earned game-high honors in digs with 37.
The Judges posted a .269 attack percentage in the win.
WORCESTER STATE 3, SMITH 1
The Lancers attained their first victory of the tournament as they defeated Smith with set scores of 25-16, 20-25, 25-17, and 25-11 on Saturday.
Worcester State's Carens notched a team-high 17 kills, while King registered a double-double of 13 kills and 18 digs in the win.
Worcester State's Stephanie Chapin (Hampden, Mass.) chipped in seven kills with a team-best .353 hitting percentage, while Lauren Murphy (Taunton, Mass.) added in six.
Murphy logged a game-best five service aces while King and Katrina Kangwijaya (Dunstable, Mass.) tallied four each. Allie Nolan (Melrose, Mass.) assisted the offense with 44 assists in the win.
Defensively for the Blue and Gold, King and Leavens dug up 18 balls each, while Kangwijaya added in 17.
Smith was led by Caleigh Johnson with a team-best 12 kills, while Helena Wiatrowski dug up a team-high 19 digs.
The Lancers posted a .209 attack percentage in the win and held a 48-38 margin in kills. They also earned a match-best 12 blocks.
WORCESTER STATE 3, BRIDGEWATER STATE 0
The Blue and Gold wrapped up the tournament with a 3-0 shutout over Bridgewater State with set scores of 25-21, 25-12, and 25-19.
King led the offense with her third double-double of the tournament (14 kills and 13 digs). The trio of Chapin, Murphy, and Carens chipped in five kills apiece.
Nolan once again assisted the offense with 32 assists, while the defense was led by Leavens who notched 14 kills. Chapin led the team in blocks with three.
Bridgewater State was led by Kayla Baril who posted nine kills. Sarah Gibbons added in six kills with a team-best .333 hitting percentage. Elexi Miskiv helped the offense with 23 helpers, while Abigail Gardner and Baril dug up 11 balls each.
The Lancers held a 9-3 advantage in service aces and held the Bears to a .045 hitting percentage.
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Worcester State's setter, Allie Nolan, was named to the Hall of Fame Invitational All-Tournament team.
UP NEXT
The volleyball team returns home on Tuesday (Oct. 24) for a 7 p.m. game against Anna Maria. Tuesday's game is a "Volleyball for Maddie" ORANGE OUT game in memory of Madeline "Maddie" credit, mother of Worcester State University's women's volleyball coach, Bernie Chase. The game has been put together in her honor to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
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