DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by a balanced team performance where all 19 Corsairs saw in-game action, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's volleyball team came away with a dominant, 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-13) win over Worcester State on Thursday. The Corsairs improve above .500 with a 6-5 record as they approach Little East Conference play. The Lancers fall to 4-7 with the loss.
UMass Dartmouth carried their momentum from their strong showing at their Home Invitational last weekend into the opening set against Worcester State. The Corsairs pulled ahead 11-8 following five straight points off of senior
Devon Laing's serve, featuring an ace and two kills each from juniors
Kate Wade and
Chelsea Sanker. The Lancers made a run late in the set, but UMD was able to keep a comfortable distance on their way to a 25-20 set win.
The Corsairs had even more dominant second and third sets, allowing second-year head coach
Justin Turco to insert his bench into the game. The bench contributed greatly, as the Corsairs won the second and third sets 25-14 and 25-13, respectively. Sophomore
Emma Rousseau made an impact off the bench, tallying two service aces, two digs and eight set assists. Freshman
Allison Pate added six kills and a block assist.
Leading the attack for the Corsairs was Wade once again. The LEC Offensive Player of the Week continues her dominant junior season with another 11-kill game along with 12 digs. Sanker added nine kills of her own along with two block assists. Senior
Gabriella Monico led the match in Attack percentage, converting on seven of her 14 attempts. Freshman
Skye Peters once again led the contest in set assists with 20. Defensively, senior
Maggie Sullivan was a menace in front of the net, contributing on four block assists. The LEC Defensive Player of the Week led the team with 13 digs.
Leading the way for Worcester State was freshman Beatrice Gamboa-Estrella who tallied seven kills and seven digs. The Lancers' junior setter Angela Colonis recorded 19 set assists, leading her team.
The UMass Dartmouth women's volleyball team will head into Boston, Massachusetts for a tri-match with WPI and Emerson College on Saturday, September 23. The Corsair's first match against WPI kicks off at at 1pm. The Corsairs will have a second match at 3pm in a battle the Emerson College.
