Volleyball Splits Saturday Tri-Match, Claims GNAC Win vs. Anna Maria

THE BASICS 

Scores: 
Match 1: Bridgewater State 3 – Emmanuel 1 (25-16, 15-25, 25-12, 25-18)
Match 2: Emmanuel 3 – Anna Maria 1 (25-21, 25-14, 25-27, 25-23)

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (6-11, 2-4 GNAC)
Bridgewater State University Bears (8-5)
Anna Maria College AMCATS (2-12, 0-5 GNAC)

Location: Paxton, Mass. – Fuller Athletic Center

Date: Saturday, October 8, 2022

THE LEAD – After dropping the first match of Saturday afternoon's tri-match to Bridgewater State in non-conference play, the Emmanuel Saints earned a coveted Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory in match two, defeating the Anna Maria AMCATS 3-1 in the tri-match finale.

HOW IT HAPPENED (MATCH 1)

• In the opening set, despite losing the first five points of the match, the Bears would quickly recover and turn the momentum into a first set win. Bridgewater State used an 8-2 run late in the set to create plenty of breathing room as first-year Alexis Starks (Milford, Mass.) would finish the set with a kill, giving BSU the 25-16 win.
• The Saints tied things at 1-1 in the second set after their offense exploded in the middle of the set. With the second tied at 13-13, EC ended the set by winning 12 of the final 14 points, including three services aces by junior Seana Phillips (Middleboro, Mass.) at the end of the set, helping the Saints to a 25-15 set win.
• In the third, BSU came out quickly with eight of the first 10 points, an advantage they wouldn't surrender. A 12-3 run through the set for Bridgewater would stretch their lead to as many as 14, leading to a set-winning kill for senior Becca Whalen (Plymouth, Mass.) and a Bears 25-12 win.
• After an early battle for momentum in the fourth, the set would play out similar to the third, with the Bears using a late run to get up by as many as nine. Emmanuel cut down the deficit to 23-18, but a Starks kill and senior Savannah Quintal (Assonet, Mass.) service ace would end the set, 25-18, giving BSU a 3-1 sets victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (MATCH 1)

• Whalen finished the match with a team-best nine kills to go along with a .350 hitting percentage.
• First-year Kim Gowell (Durham, N.H.) had eight kills while hitting .238 from the floor.
• Quintal and junior Victoria Caiano (Acushnet, Mass.) each had four service aces.
• Phillips matched a career-best with 13 kills. The junior middle hitter finished with an attack percentage of .276 in the match.
• Senior Kerry Shea (Tewksbury, Mass.) finished with six kills and eight digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED (MATCH 2)

• The opening set of Saints and AMCATS was all about the scoring runs and the swings of momentum. A 6-0 run early in the set put Anna Maria ahead 14-9 but Emmanuel was able to quickly respond with an 8-2 spurt, to take a 17-16 lead. Late in the set, the Saints were the benefit of the final scoring run, capping off the set with six of the last eight points to win 25-21.
• The Saints kept the momentum in the second set, scoring 12 of the first 15 points to hold a nine-point edge. Emmanuel would lead by as many as a dozen in the second set, claiming the 25-14 set win on a kill by sophomore Jaiden Greaves (Wells, Maine).
• In the third, the AMCATS looked as though they would cruise to a set victory, leading by as many as five, midway through the set. But the Saints fought back with a 9-3 run, to hold a 20-19 lead. The third set would stretch into extra points and back-to-back kills by senior Ryann Hassett (North Oxford, Mass.) would make the difference as Anna Maria forced a fourth set thanks to a 27-25 third set win.
• It appeared Saturday's GNAC match was destined for five sets as the AMCATS led 21-11 in the fourth, but a string of serves by two of the Saints best, junior Brigid Moriarty (Westfield, Mass.) and senior Rachel Coleman (Peabody, Mass.) would set the stage for a huge EC comeback. Moriarty's turn of serve netted five points, including a pair of aces. Coleman stepped to the service line for five points, as well, bringing the Saints back to trail 22-21. But senior Kerry Shea (Tewksbury, Mass.) would put the finishing touch on the match, serving out the final three points, including an ace and kills for first-year Wiktoria Galazyn (Plainville, Conn.) and junior Sasha Hyacinthe (Stoughton, Mass.), as EC completed the comeback, winning the fourth set, 25-23.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (MATCH 2)

• Shea finished the second match with a career-high 14 kills to go with eight digs and four aces.
• Phillips had nine kills in the match while adding three digs and three aces.
• Coleman had a season-high 40 assists while senior Tatiana Correia (Peabody, Mass.) finished the match with a season-high 21 digs.
• AMCATS junior Sarah Burt (Plymouth, Mass.) led the team with 11 kills while hitting .286 from the floor.
• Hassett and senior Bella Kozciak (Westfield, Mass.) each added 10 kills for Anna Maria.

UP NEXT

• The Saints return to the Jean Yawkey Center on Oct. 13, hosting the University of Saint Joseph at 7:00 p.m., for the start of a three-match homestand.
• The AMCATS head out of conference for an Oct. 11 match, hosting Northern Vermont-Lyndon for a 7:00 p.m. match.
• The Bears finish up a six-match road trip with an Oct. 11 match at Mass. Maritime, scheduled for 7:00 p.m.