PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Despite a third set resurgence and a match-high five aces from rookie middle blocker
Aleek Kuot, the UMass Dartmouth volleyball team was unable to get past Johnson & Wales University. The Corsairs fell by a 3-1 (21-25, 21-25, 25-17, 20-25) margin in non-conference action as the Wildcats move to 7-3 overall. UMD is now 6-6 on the season.
The two teams played a pair of close sets in the first and second, but the favor fell to the home team as Johnson & Wales notched 25-21 victories for the 2-0 advantage. In the third set, the Corsairs rallied back, opening up a 12-8 margin on a service ace from Kuot.
The rookie went on to record two more aces as the visitors widened their margin to 15-8. JWU worked to battle back, but a kill from first year outside hitter
Ashley Serverius, combined with attacking errors by the home team saw the gap move to 17-10 in favor of UMD.
Three kills from sophomore opposite
Olivia Seutter, combined with more JWU errors saw the Corsairs sitting at 23-17 before back-to-back aces by Kuot delivered the third set victory to force another frame.
Fourth set action continued to be a tight affair with neither team leading by more than two before a pair of errors and a Vivi Mansfield kill saw the Wildcats open a 12-9 lead. UMD refused to back down, tying the set while grabbing the 16-15 lead on a pair of kills from Kuot.
UMass Dartmouth took advantage of several errors, but the homestanding Wildcats capitalized as well, seeing Brooke Caquelin and Nevaeh Arnold each lay down kills and JWU nabbed seven of the final 10 points to seal the 25-20 win for the 4-1 match victory.
Seutter paced the effort for the Corsairs, laying down 12 kills with three errors on 27 attempts for a .333 margin. Junior outside hitter and captain
Allison Pate added 11 kills with two block assists and a team-high 19 digs, while junior setter
Skye Peters had 22 assists with an ace. Kuot finished with five kills, a match-best five aces and three block assists.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Saturday, heading to Brandeis University for tri-match action. The Corsairs will face the Gulls of Endicott at 12pm, followed by a match against the homestanding Judges at 2pm in Waltham.
