Corsairs Defeat RIC in Four Sets

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - After dropping the first, The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth volleyball team rallied to win three straight sets to defeat Rhode Island College, 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-22), Wednesday night in Providence. It was the teams' first Little East Conference (LEC) match of the year. 

The Corsairs (4-6, 1-1 LEC) were led by freshman Kate Wade's 15 kills, sophomore Devon Laing's 22 digs, freshman Monika Kristjansdottir's three blocks and freshman Zoe Dizenzo's 41 assists. The Anchorwomen (5-6, 1-2 LEC) were led by junior Amelia Murphy's 18 kills.

Five early kills by RIC gave the home team a 9-4 advantage in the first set. UMass Dartmouth then went on a 7-3 run with kills by Wade, freshman Lauryn Latimore and Laing to cut the deficit to 12-11. The Anchorwomen then strung together five consecutive points to build their lead to 19-14 and eventually take the first, 25-20.

UMass Dartmouth turned it around and won the next three sets. Kills by Kristjansdottir, Laing and sophomore Marley Alexander put the Corsairs up 13-10 in the second. UMassD did not allow RIC to get back into it, taking a 20-16 advantage and closed the set on a 5-3 run to even the match.

Back-to-back aces by Dizenzo jolted an 8-3 start for the Corsairs in the third set. After a 14-8 lead, RIC went on a 6-1 run to close its gap to 15-14. UMassD then scored the next eight out of nine points to take the second set, 25-17, and go ahead 2-1 in the match.

The fourth was back-and-forth in the beginning as UMass Dartmouth battled to a 9-7 lead. The Corsairs then used a 10-3 run with kills by Wade, Latimore and Alexander to take a commanding, 19-10 advantage and eventually win the set, 25-22, to take the match.

The Corsairs are back at the Tripp Athletic Center for a meeting with Elms at 6 p.m. on Thursday.