DARTMOUTH, Mass. — The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth volleyball team gave Keene State College all they could handle, but the Owls escaped with a 3-0 victory this evening in a Little East Conference match at the Tripp Athletic Center. Keene State College outlasted the Corsairs by scores of 27-25, 25-13, and 34-32 to improve to 4-1 on the season, while UMass Dartmouth evened its overall record at 2-2.
Corsair first-year
Devon Laing (El Dorado Hills, Calif) paced the attack with her second double-double of the season, recording 11 kills and 16 digs. Sophomore Gabriella Monica (Milford, N.H.) contributed nine winners and two service aces and first-year
Marley Alexander (Ashburn, Va.) registered eight kills and three aces. Sophomore
Courtney Carreiro (Dartmouth, Mass.) matched her season-high in assists with 29, while classmate
Vanessa Barreto (Natick, Mass.) posted a season-best 16 digs.
Junior Emilyann Ashford (Silver City, N.M.) and senior Megan Palmer (East Islip, N.Y.) combined for 17 kills to power the Owls offense. Ashford put down a team-best 12 kills, while Palmer notched a double-double with 11 winners and a team-high 13 digs. Sophomore Syndey Johnson (Brentwood, N.H.) spiked eight winners and first-year Kacie Blanchet (Salem, N.H.) facilitated the offense with 36 of the visitors 39 assists. First-year Reagan Fleming (Pearl River, N.Y.) also reached double digits in digs with 11.
UMass Dartmouth raced out to an early 12-4 advantage in the opening set and forced Keene State to stem the tide with a timeout. The Owls responded with three quick points, but the Corsairs extended their lead to 17-11 on a Monica kill. UMass Dartmouth was just two points away from winning the frame, but Keene State won eight of the next nine points to take its first lead of the contest on set point. The Corsairs evened the match at 25-all on a first-year
Maggie Sullivan (Acton, Mass.) winner, but the visitors won consecutive points to capture the set.
The Owls carried their momentum into the second set and cruised to a 25-13 win. Keene State appeared to have the third set under control at 21-14, but UMass Dartmouth would not go quietly. The Corsairs evened the set at 23-all by winning nine of 11 points. Both teams had opportunities to close out the set, but the Owls finally won back-to-back points to seal the victory at 34-32.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 6pm on Thursday, April 29, when the Corsairs host Plymouth State University in the final Little East Conference match of the campaign.
