Volleyball Drops 3-1 Decision to Westfield

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The visiting Westfield State University volleyball team battled back from a set down to post a 3-1 victory over Bridgewater State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) match Saturday afternoon at the Tinsley Center.

The Owls improve to 8-10 on the season and 4-1 in the MASCAC, while the Bears fall to 9-7 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Westfield has now won nine straight matches against the Bears dating back to 2013.

After dropping the opening set, 27-25, the Owls came soaring back with a 25-21 decision in the second set followed by a 25-22 win in the third. Westfield closed out the match with a decisive 25-12 victory in the fourth set.

The Owls recorded 42 kills and posted a .223 hitting percentage on the afternoon with nine aces. The Bears finished with 39 kills and ten aces on the day but posted a .058 hitting percentage. The two teams combined for 18 serving errors with the Owls committing 11.

Senior opposite Ashley Crowley (Billerica, Mass.) paced Westfield with nine kills, 12 digs and an ace, while the Owls also received eight kills apiece from senior outside hitter Shawna Crowley (Billerica, Mass.), junior middle blocker Julia Bartiet (Cheshire, Conn.) and junior outside hitter Bridgette McAndrews (Longmeadow, Mass.). Shawna Crowley added two aces and two assisted blocks, and McAndrews also registered a pair of aces. Freshman setter Morgan Dority (Walpole, Mass.) dished out a match-best 19 assists and freshman libero Allie Hill (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) recorded a match-high 19 digs.

Freshman outside hitter Sarah Brogioli (Milford, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with eight kills, eight digs and three aces, while freshman right side hitter Meaghan Coutu (Brookline, N.H.) notched nine kills and three aces. Senior right side hitter Becca Whalen (Plymouth, Mass.) added seven kills and an assisted block for the hosts. The Bears also received 17 digs from junior libero Victoria Caiano (Acushnet, Mass.), 18 assists, two aces and 11 digs from senior setter Savannah Quintal (Assonet, Mass.) and 15 assists and one ace from junior setter Bethany Votta (Cumberland, R.I.).

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams next Wednesday evening at six o'clock. The Bears entertain Framingham State University on Senior Night, while the Owls travel to MCLA.