Women's Volleyball Defeats Lesley 3-1 at Home in Non-Conference Action

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team hosted Lesley University for a non-conference match on Thursday evening at Picknelly Arena for their annual Dig Pink Night.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 3 (25, 20, 25, 25) | Lesley University 1 (16, 25, 13, 16)
Records: Blazers 8-7, 1-3 (GNAC) | Lynx 0-18, 0-4 (NAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first set would begin by Lesley scoring first but the Elms offense would come back to take the lead quickly after two kills by first year Naiima Mack (Baltimore, Md.). As the set continued, the two former conference foes would battle for the lead, with the Blazers scoring with the assistance of nine kills and five service aces from junior Caitlyn Flynn (Colchester, Conn.), senior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, Puerto Rico), first years Amanda Cabrera (Greenwich, Conn.), and Ryan Busby (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) to win the opening set 25-16.

The second set would see Cabrera score for Elms first, but the Lynx would take the first major lead of the set. Shortly thereafter, the Blazers would capitalize on a kill by Busby and a service ace from Cabrera to tie the set 3-3. Lesley would score four more points, but senior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) would record back-to-back kills and a service ace, along with a kill by first year Samantha Haug (Union, N.J.), bringing the score to within a point. Elms would continue their efforts to gain a lead in the second set, with the help of kills from sophomore Olivia Rivera (Springfield, Mass.), Marin, Marks, and Busby, along with blocks by Rivera, Marks, and Marin, and a service ace from Flynn. Unfortunately, the Lynx would secure the set 25-20 to even the match at one set each.

The third set would then start with a completely different narrative, as the Blazers would score first and not let Lesley earn a single lead during the set. Throughout the set, Elms would record a combined 13 kills, two service aces, and a block from Rivera, junior Lilliana Simmons (Springfield, Mass.), senior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.), junior Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Calif.), and Cabrera to win the set 25-13. During the set, graduate student Alyssa Moore (Ludlow, Mass.) would reach the career milestone of 1,000 collegiate digs.

The fourth and final set would begin by a kill by senior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.). The Lynx would take a short-lived lead soon thereafter, but the Elms offense would regain control of the momentum of the match with the assistance of kills by Q.Gibbs, Marks, and Holman, along with service aces from Moore, Simmons, and Cabrera, and a block from Cabrera and Marks, to help secure the match 25-16 and win the non-conference match three sets to one in front of their home crowd.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Busby - 12 assists, two kills, two digs, and a service ace.

• Cabrera - 23 assists, four kills, four service aces, three digs, and a block assist.

• Flynn - five digs, three service aces, and a kill.

• Q.Gibbs - eight digs and seven kills.

• Haug - 11 digs and a kill.

• Holman - four digs and two kills.

• Izquierdo - three digs, two kills, and an assist,

• Mack - three kills and two digs.

• Marin - six kills, two service aces, an assist, and a block assist.

• Marks - seven kills, three blocks, two digs, and a service ace.

• Moore - 15 digs and a service ace, she would also record her 1,000th career dig.

• Palacios - two digs.

• Rivera - three kills, two digs, and a block.

• Simmons - 11 digs, four service aces, and three kills.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will host conference foe New England College, along with Western New England University, in a tri-match on Saturday, October 11th at 11 am and 3 pm.

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