Women's Volleyball Lose Home Tri-Match to Framingham State and Fisher

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team hosted Framingham State University and Fisher College in a non-conference tri-match on Saturday at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Match 1
Score: Elms College 1 (24, 25, 20, 15) | Framingham State University 3 (26, 13, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 2-1, 0-0 (GNAC) | Rams 2-1, 0-0 (MASCAC)

Match 2
Score: Elms College 1 (25, 22, 19, 24) | Fisher College 3 (17, 25, 25, 26)
Records: Blazers 2-2, 0-0 (GNAC) | Falcons 2-0, 0-0 (CAC-NAIA)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1

The opening set would see Framingham State earn the first lead, but Elms would earn the first kill by junior Lilliana Simmons (Springfield, Mass.). As the Rams looked to extend their lead, the Blazers would add points of their own, with the help of kills from Simmons, senior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.), junior Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Calif.), and sophomore Olivia Rivera (Springfield, Mass.), along with a service ace from Gibbs. As the first set continued, FSU would continue to add to their lead, capitalizing on errors and generating offensive momentum, but the Blazers would look to take control of the momentum. With the assistance of a pair of blocks from senior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.) and Izquierdo, three kills by Simmons, along with additional kills from Gibbs and Marks, and a service ace by senior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.), Elms would tie the set 20-20 and would then take the lead after three-straight kills from Izquierdo, Gibbs, and Holman. Unfortunately the lead would be short lived and Framingham State would take the set 26-24.

The second set would begin with the Blazers on the offensive, after graduate student Alyssa Moore (Ludlow, Mass.) would record two service aces and Holman would add a kill, to help take an early 4-0 lead. After the Rams would add a handful of points, but the Elms offense would add to their lead with the help of 13 kills by Simmons, Gibbs, Izquierdo, and Marks, along with a pair of service aces from Marks to help the Blazers secure the second set 25-13 and even the match 1-1.

The third set would start with FSU taking an 11-1 lead, scoring on ten-straight points. The Elms would try their best efforts to generate some offensive momentum, following kills by Marks, Gibbs, senior Alejandra Marin (Dorados, Puerto Rico), and Simmons, service aces from Holman, Simmons, and Marks, and a block by Rivera, but Framingham State would win the set 25-20.

The fourth and final set would begin with the Blazers taking an early lead, with assistance of a service ace from Marks for the opening point of the set, followed by a pair of kills by Gibbs, but then the Rams would take a six-point lead shortly thereafter. As FSU would continue to add to their lead, Elms would try their best efforts to narrow down the lead, with kills by Simmons, Marks, Izquierdo, and Holman, but Framingham State would win the set 25-15 and defeat the Blazers 3-1.

Match 2

The first set would see Fisher take an early 4-0 lead, but Elms would rally and score ten-straight points, including two service aces by Moore, three kills from Gibbs, a kill by Izquierdo, and a block from Marks. The two intrastate foes would trade points, including Gibbs adding a pair of service aces and kills, but after a kill from Marks, the Blazers would see additional kills by Izquierdo and Gibbs to win the set 25-17.

The second set would begin with both teams battling for the lead, seeing first year Naiima Mack (Baltimore, Md.) recording a kill and a service ace, followed by a kill from Gibbs. As the set continued, the two teams would continue to battle for the lead, with both teams having short-lived leads throughout the set. Elms would see kills from Marks, Izquierdo, and Gibbs, along with blocks from Marks and Mack and a service ace by Holman, but the Falcons would win the set 25-22 to even the match 1-1.

The third set would start with another close battle from the beginning, with kills from Gibbs, Izquierdo, and Marks to bring the score to a 5-5 tie. Even with three kills by Mack and additional kills from Marks, Marin, Izquierdo, and Gibbs, the Blazers would not be able to narrow the score differential and Fisher would win their second-straight set 25-19.

The fourth and final set would see Holman make a service ace as the first point, but the Falcons would take the first major lead in the set, but that would be short-lived as Elms would then take the lead, with the help of a kill and a service ace by Izquierdo, Simmons recording three service aces, and Marks adding a kill to bring the score to 11-7. The two sides would continue to battle, with the Blazers recording a block from Rivera and Holman, Izquierdo adding six kills and a service ace, along with a service ace by Holman. Unfortunately, the Falcons would continue to capitalize on offensive pressure and errors to win the set 26-24 and defeat Elms 3-1 to win the final match of the day.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Q.Gibbs - 32 digs, 26 kills, and three service aces.

• Haug - 10 digs.

• Holman - 69 assists, 28 digs, five service aces, three kills, and a block assist.

• Izquierdo - 24 kills, 10 digs, two service aces, and a block assist.

• Mack - 10 digs, four kills, a service ace, and a block assist.

• Marin - 10 digs, two kills, and an assist. 

• Marks - 12 kills, six digs, five blocks, four service aces, and an assist.

• Moore - 46 digs, nine assists, and four service aces.

• Rivera - a kill, three blocks, and two digs.

• Simmons - 13 kills, 11 digs, and five service aces.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will travel to Lexington, Mass. to face Lesley University in a non-conference match on Tuesday, September 9th at 7 pm.

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