Box Score DANBURY, Conn. – The Colonials rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second set and held off a near Corsair comeback in the third, as host Western Connecticut prevailed for a 3-0 sweep of UMass Dartmouth Volleyball in Little East Conference play on Saturday.
The Basics
Score: Western Connecticut 3, UMass Dartmouth 0
Records: Western Connecticut (16-10, 2-3 LEC) | UMass Dartmouth (9-15, 0-5 LEC)
How it Happened
The teams traded points in the first set until WCSU's Danielle Kaminsky (Southington, Conn.) took the serve with the hosts down 10-11. Kaminsky fired two service aces and the Colonials gathered two kills to retake a five-point lead that would hold, giving the hosts a 25-17 win in the opener.
UMass Dartmouth would briefly regain composure to start the second set, jumping out to a seven-point lead and forcing a WCSU timeout. Out of the break, the hosts would get back within two just to see freshman Meghan Mullinax (Lake Balboa, Calif.) serve the Corsairs back to a seven-point advantage, 16-9.
With the set nearly in the visitors reach with a 21-11 lead, Kaminsky would then go to work again, serving to four-straight points before assisting on five WCSU kills in seven-straight points during Jacqueline Kanuk's (New Fairfield, Conn.) serve. Two kills from Karissa Smith (Bristol, Conn.) would do away with the lead for good as the Colonials prevailed for a 25-23 second set.
The Colonials went up 15-10 in the third after a series of kills from Kamari King (East Hartford, Conn.) and wouldn't again relinquish the lead despite two block assists by Emily West (Holyoke, Mass.) and Taila Roberson (Norwalk, Conn.) in the final five points. WCSU claimed a 25-20 final margin for the victory.
Inside the Numbers
- With her team-leading 10 kills, freshman Anita Sengara (Vancouver, B.C.) has now tallied double-digit kills in 14 matches on the season.
- With six kills on 14 digs, senior Kayla Kirby (Westport, Mass.) led UMass Dartmouth with a .429 attack percentage, a new season-high.
- Sengara led UMass Dartmouth in digs for the second-straight outing, tabulating 18, while classmate Jillian Sykora (Waterford, Conn.) added 16.
- West and Roberson both set new career highs with four block assists on the contest.
- Senior setter Christina Spinazola (Medway, Mass.) has now reached 20-plus assists for three-straight matches.
Up Next
The Corsairs return home on Tuesday and continue Little East Conference play, hosting Rhode Island College at the Tripp Athletic Center at 7 p.m.
