Worcester, MA- Head Coach Bernie Chase, starting his 20^th season at the helm of the successful Worcester State Volleyball team, has announced his program’s set of 2024 matches. The team is primed to return to the MASCAC Championship, which they narrowly missed out on last season after a tough loss to MCLA in the semifinals. Leading the team is returning MASCAC First Team and assist master, Angela Colonis and returning as a graduate student for her final year, MASCAC leader in solo blocks and total blocks, MASCAC Second Team selection Maeve Cadogan. Ready to land the kills and additional blocks for Colonis and Cadogan are Kate Stedronsky and Cassidy D’Esposito while the servicing of Megan Bardis will aim to ace the competition behind a depth of returning talent, such a Beatrice Gamboa-Estrella who will look to hopefully continue her first-year success in her sophomore season, and well-developed new talent joining the squad this fall.

“I am excited about the talent and competitiveness of our returning players. We have an outstanding core of returning players with playoff experience,” says Chase. “Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to the reigning MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Camryn Burgio, but we have a solid group of returning players as well as incoming first year defensive players to help fill the void. We play a challenging out of conference schedule, but we will use this schedule to better prepare us for our conference matches. I'm looking forward to welcoming our incoming first years and transfer players and getting the 2024 season started.”

The Volleyball team, while home for just nine matches out of their expected 29 matches, aim to make each of those home matches count on the season. The team will begin on August 31^st with a tri-match at Wentworth that will see them take on the hosts and a yet to be decided second team before continuing their travel stretch to the 3^rd, 5^th and 7^th with meeting with Regis, a non-conference battle with Framingham State and another tri-match at Wellesley College. The Lancers will host their home opener on September 10^th when they welcome UMass-Dartmouth to Brissette Court before staying at home on the 12^th for the Worcester cross town battle with WPI. Worcester will then travel to the Coast Guard Academy on September 14th for their third tri-match of the season where they will also take on Connecticut College. Four home games will keep the Blue and Gold at home over the next week with a September 19^th meeting with Rhode Island College, before hosting a tri-match of their own on the 21^st with Mt. Holyoke and Suffolk, and closing the home stand out with a 24^th meeting with Anna Maria. Prior to the match on the 21^st, the Volleyball team will also be hosting their alumni game with an anticipated start of 11am. The final September fun will see Worcester travel west to Western New England for their fifth tri of the season this time getting their second match chance with SUNY-Cobleskill.

The Lancers will open October with their first MASCAC game of the season when they journey to Salem State on October 1^st before heading to Trinity on the 5^th for their second to last tri-match of the season. The road trip will continue for Worcester, but this time they keep it closer to home as they take a quick jaunt down Park Ave to Clark on the 10^th before journeying up 190 to Fitchburg State on the 12^th. The Lancers will finally get their chance to host a MASCAC opponent on October 16^th when they host Bridgewater State before another two-date travel set with the first the final tri-match of the season on the 19th, this time at Smith to take on both Smith and Wheaton, and the second to Westfield State on the 22nd. The Lancers will then host their final two home matches of the season with the first on the 24^th versus Mass. Maritime and the final, also serving as the team’s senior day on October 30^th versus Framingham State. Closing out the season will see Worcester away for the remainder of the regular season with a trip to Keene on November 5^th and a final conference revenge match on November 9^th versus MCLA before the MASCAC post season kicks off the following Tuesday. 

Live stats and videos for all games can be found on the Worcester State Volleyball Schedule.