DANBURY, Conn. – Powered by a match-best 13 kills and 22 digs from sophomore outside hitter
Allison Pate, the UMass Dartmouth volleyball team defeated Western Connecticut State, 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-23) in Little East Conference action on Saturday. The Corsairs move to 16-5 overall with a 4-0 mark in conference action, while the Wolves are now 13-9 and 2-2 in the LEC.
In addition to her match-high 13 kills, Pate committed just two errors on 26 swings for a .423 percentage. Senior outside hitter
Kate Wade also posted a match-high 13 kills with two service aces and five digs, while rookie right side
Olivia Seutter had seven kills with an assist, a block assist and a dig. Junior defensive specialist
Emily Pogorelec added 16 digs and two service aces, while classmate and setter
Sabrina Bordone posted 18 assists, an ace and four digs.
First set action saw a back-and-forth battle as the Corsairs took a 19-17 lead behind consecutive kills from Pate. The Wolves pulled it to within two (22-20) on a kill from Helen Megson, but Seutter laid down a strike, followed by kills from Wade and Pate to close out the set win for the Corsairs.
In the second set, the Corsairs came out dominant, opening up a 15-4 lead that included multiple kills from senior opposite
Chelsea Sanker, along with a number of kills from Wade to go along with two service aces. WestConn battled back, using a 4-0 run to pull to within 17-10, but a 5-0 run for the Corsairs helped build up a 22-10 advantage.
The Wolves made it interesting, going on another 5-0 stretch, including two service aces from Jersey Jones, but despite the 22-15 score, UMass Dartmouth countered as a pair of kills from Wade helped give the visitors the second set win.
Third set remained tight throughout, with neither team giving by more than three points at a time. The teams found themselves locked in a 20-20 battle after a kill from Seutter helped tie it up, but the Wolves took the lead on a kill from Delia Clouden.
UMass Dartmouth took advantage of two errors to pull ahead 22-21, but errors on the Corsairs side saw the match even at 23-23 once again. The visitors got a service error from WestConn and a Wade kill to end it and give the Corsairs the key LEC victory.
The Corsairs owned a 40-33 advantage in kills for the match, adding a 4-3 edge in blocks and 36-29 margin in assists. UMassD also held a 64-56 lead in digs for the match.
The Corsairs return to action on Wednesday, hosting Rhode Island College at 7pm in the Tripp Athletic Center.
