Volleyball Drops 3-1 Decision to Westfield in MASCAC Opener

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Westfield State University volleyball team rallied from a game down as the visiting Owls opened Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) play with a 3-1 victory (20-25, 25-21, 27-25, 27-25) over Bridgewater State University on Tuesday evening at the Tinsley Center.

The Owls improve to 4-8 on the season with the win and 1-0 in the MASCAC.  The host Bears slip to 6-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

Freshman outside hitter Victoria Sutphen (Holden, Mass.) paced the Owls with a team-high 19 kills to go along with an ace.  Junior outside hitter Kendyl Haney (Ashland, Mass.) added 13 kills, while senior setter Carolyn Cote (Chelmsford, Mass.) and freshman setter Courtney Ryan (Quincy, Mass.) tallied 19 assists apiece.

Sophomore setter Charleyne Panner (Gilford, N.H.) notched a career-high 49 assists to go along with 25 digs and four kills for the Bears.  Sophomore outside hitter Clara Goncalves (Dennis, Mass.) paced the BSU attacking game with 20 kills and a solid .432 hitting percentage.  Sophomore outside hitter Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I.) chipped in with 15 kills, 16 digs and an ace, while junior middle hitter Julie Hutchins (Bellingham, Mass.) added 12 kills, one ace and five blocks (three solo).

In the opening game, the Bears led 20-15 when a kill and an ace by freshman Sutphen pulled the Owls to within three.  However, back-to-back errors by Westfield, including one on the serve, gave the Bears a commanding 22-17 advantage.  A pair of kills by Maymon and one by Goncalves accounted for the Bears' final three points as they went on to post the 25-20 win.

Westfield trailed 18-17 in game two, but reeled off five straight points on the strength of a pair of kills by Haney and one each from senior setter Carolyn Cote (Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior middle hitter Carole Duquette (Feeding Hills, Mass.).  Back-to-back kills by Hutchins pulled the Bears to within two at 22-20.   The Owls answered with kills from Haney and junior middle hitter Casey Howe (Chelmsford, Mass.) to move to game point at 24-20.  A Hutchins kill was followed by a BSU net error as the Owls picked up the 25-21 victory.

The Bears erased a 21-17 deficit and battled back to tie game three, 24-24, with Maymon connecting on back-to-back kills to even it up.  Haney and Hutchins exchanged kills to keep the score knotted at 25-25. A Haney kill gave the Owls the lead and Ryan followed with an unlikely kill to give the visitors the 27-25 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Game four was another back-and-forth affair with Westfield rallying from a 20-15 deficit to tie the match at 20-20.  Two kills by Haney and one each from Sutphen and Duquette highlighted the 5-0 run.  There would be five more ties in the game before a kill by junior middle hitter Kelsey Abramson (Deerfield, Mass.) and a match-ending solo block by Duquette won it for the Owls.

The Bears are back home on Thursday evening when they entertain non-conference rival UMass Dartmouth at six.  The Owls compete in a tri-match with Bay Bath College and Green Mountain College on Saturday starting at noon. The tri-match will take place at Holyoke Community College.