Owls Clinch Top Seed in MASCAC Tournament After Sweep of Worcester

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State middle blocker Sarah Bingham (Reno, Nev.) provided seven kills, three total blocks and a .294 hitting percentage on a night where she was honored before the game as part of senior night as the Owls clinched the number one overall seed in the MASCAC Tournament after sweeping Worcester State (25-19, 27-25, 25-20) on Friday evening from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass.

The Owls secure at least a share of the MASCAC Regular Season title as Westfield can win the MASCAC regular season title in outright fashion with a win next Thursday against Fitchburg State or a Bridgewater State loss. The Owls continue to power through the back half of the regular season, now winning three straight games and eight of their last nine to improve to 13-11 overall and 6-0 in the conference. The Lancers drop to 8-16 on the year and 4-2 in the MASCAC.

Westfield was forced to come from behind in the first two sets after quick starts from Worcester pushed them in front early in each set. The Lancers led by as many as four points midway through set one before the Owls went on one of many signature scoring runs in the match. Trailing 13-11, a pair of errors from Worcester tied the set, then Julia Bartiet (Cheshire, Conn.) and Sydney Cummins (Nicholasville, Ky.) delivered consecutive kills to put Westfield ahead 15-13.

Later in the run, Cummins delivered back-to-back kills, making it seven of the last eight points won by the Owls to drive the lead to four points. After a Lancers' timeout, Worcester responded by compiling four straight points as a block assist from Kaitlin Cueva (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Kate Sedronsky (Sea Girt, N.J.) tied the match at 18 apiece.

The Owls roared back by again scoring seven points in an eight-point stretch with Bingham converting two straight kills to bring the match to a set point. A Worcester attacking error sealed the set one win for Westfield.

In the second set, the Owls were again forced to come from behind after a kill from Cueva gave the Lancers a 17-12 advantage. Westfield chipped away at the deficit, relying on the shoulders of Bingham who produced consecutive kills to bring the set to a three-point difference. Worcester was able to up the lead to four points at 20-16 before Westfield answered with kills from Bartiet and Emma Nihill (Chandler, Ariz.) followed by a Worcester attacking and ball handling error to pull the Owls even at 20.

Worcester steadied themselves after a timeout and regained control of the set, scoring four of the next six points with Cassidy D'Esposito (Medford, N.Y.) slamming home a critical kill during the spurt to bring Worcester to set point.

The Lancers were unable to dispatch the Owls as two attacking errors moved the game to a 24-all tie. Worcester had another chance at winning the set after an Owls service error, but Cummins delivered a huge slam to stave off a Worcester set victory.

With the match spilling into extra points, Emily Washkalavitch (Oxford, Penn.) dug out a thunderous attack from the Lancers, eventually leading to an Emma Nihill kill to move the Owls into set point, where on the next volley, Emma Nihill wrapped up the set with another kill, putting the Owls up a commanding two sets to none.

Allie Hill (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) distanced the Owls in the third set in the service game, recording three straight aces, forcing Worcester to call their second and final timeout of the set with Westfield leading 15-9. The Owls scored two additional points after the timeout, extending the lead to seven points. Worcester would close the gap to as little as four points but Emma Nihill put the finishing touches on the game with two late kills to win the match for the Owls.

Cummins led Westfield with 14 kills while both Nihill sisters picked up 10 kills apiece. Morgan Dority (Walpole, Mass.) had 18 assists and Chloe Schuld (Sycamore, Ill.) had a strong presence in the back for Westfield, piling up 19 digs. 

Stedronsky and Angela Colonis (Waterford, Conn.) led the Lancers with eight kills each with Colonis adding 13 assists. Megan Bardis (Sterling, Mass.) paced Worcester with 14 assists and Katherine Crateau (North Andover, Mass.) collected 16 digs.

Westfield State will have a quick turnaround for their next match, hosting Plymouth State in a non-conference match tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass. Worcester State will visit Keene State for a non-conference clash on Tuesday at 7:00 P.M.