Women's Volleyball Brings MCLA to Five Sets

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team traveled to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for a non-conference match on Tuesday evening.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 2 (14, 25, 25, 25, 10) | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 3 (25, 21, 14, 27, 15)
Records: Blazers 7-7, 1-3 (GNAC) | Trailblazers 12-3, 3-0 (MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first set would see MCLA take an early 5-1 lead, but the Elms offense would capitalize on a kill by junior Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Calif.). Unfortunately, the Trailblazers would continue to tally points to increase their lead. As the set continued, the Blazers would add kills from Q.Gibbs, seniors Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) and Alejandra Marin (Dorado, Puerto Rico), but MCLA would take the opening set 25-14.

The second set would begin once again with MCLA taking another early 7-3 lead. Shortly thereafter, senior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.) would record four kills, followed by kills from Q.Gibbs, junior Lilliana Simmons (Springfield, Mass.), and Marks, along with a service ace by Q.Gibbs to tie the set 17-17. As the set continued, the Blazers would see kills by first year Amanda Cabrera (Greenwich, Conn.), Izquierdo, and Q.Gibbs, along with service aces from senior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.) and Simmons, and a block by Simmons and Cabrera, to help Elms win the set 25-21 to even at one set each.

The third set would once again see the Trailblazers score first, but the Blazers would control the early lead thanks to actions from both sides of the ball, with a block from Cabrera to start a seven point rally, followed by three service aces by Simmons and a kill from Izquierdo. As the set continued, the intrastate foes would trade possession, seeing Elms score with the assistance of kills from Q.Gibbs, Cabrera, Izquierdo, and Marks, service aces by Holman and first year Angelica Palacios (Hyattsville, Md.), along with blocks from Marks, Simmons, to win the their second-straight set 25-14.

The fourth set would once again start with a close battle between the two teams, with Marks scoring on two kills and service aces, Izquierdo adding four kills, Cabrera making a kill, Simmons recording a service ace and kill, Holman adding a kill, Palacios recording a service ace, and Q.Gibbs making three kills. The two sides would battle to the very end, but MCLA would win the set 27-25 to even the match two sets each to force a fifth set.

The fifth and final set would continue the narrative of the match, with the two Massachusetts teams battling for the early lead. Q.Gibbs, Izquierdo, Marks, and Simmons each scoring kills, along with a block from Marks and Simmons, but the Trailblazers would win the set 15-10 to secure the 3-2 victory over the Blazers.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Cabrera - three kills, three digs, and an assist.

• Flynn - two digs.

• Q.Gibbs - 13 digs, 12 kills, and a service ace.

• Haug - eight digs and an assist.

• Holman - 33 assists, 16 digs, three service aces, and a kill.

• Izquierdo - 16 kills, seven digs, and two assists.

• Marin - a kill and a dig.

• Marks - 10 kills, four digs, three blocks, two service aces.

• Palacios - 18 digs, seven assists, and two service aces.

• Simmons - five service aces, five digs, four kills, and three block assists.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will host their annual Think Pink Night against Lesley University for a non-conference match on Thursday, October 9th at 7 pm.

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