Lancers Set Falcons in MASCAC Action

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State women's volleyball team dropped a hard-fought four-set match to the Lancers of Worcester State 3-1 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action this evening at the Parkinson Gymnasium.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 1, Worcester State 3 (25-12, 25-20, 17-25, 27-25)
Records: Fitchburg State (3-5. 0-2 MASCAC) | Worcester State (2-11, 1-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Worcester State opened the match with a 5-1 stretch on the serve of sophomore Angela Colonis (Waterford, Mass.), while the Falcons' received a kill from sophomore Samantha Mirra (Burlington, Mass.). The Lancers extended the lead (17-4) with back-to-back kills from freshman Cassidy D'Esposito (Medford, Mass.). The Green and Gold countered with a block from sophomore Sariah Dyer (Raynham, Mass.) and a service ace from freshman Stephanie Sardella (Billerica, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 17-8. Worcester State closed out the set with a kill from Kate Stedronsky (Sea Girt, NJ).

Game two was a see-saw battle, as the Falcons knotted the game 5-5 with a duo of aces from junior Emily Gelinas (Westfield, Mass.). The visitors forged ahead 12-8 once again on the serve of Colonis however the hosts rallied with a kill from Catherine Goodearl (Marston Mills, Mass.) to trail 12-11. Worcester State pushed the lead (17-12) with a kill from Stedronsky. Trailing 20-14, the Falcons notched three straight points, capped with a kill from Gelinas. With senior Meredith Taylor (Reading, Mass.) serving, the Falcons made it a 23-20 game, but an ace from Jessica Rancourt (Grafton, Mass.)  closed out the set for the Lancers.

The Falcons battled to the third set win. Even at 4-4 the Green and Gold reeled off a 6-3 run to take a 10-7 lead they would never relinquish. Goodearl had three aces to pace the Falcons in the run. Worcester State would answer with a block from D'Esposito to stop the Falcons' run (11-15). Fitchburg State poured on the offense with kills from Gabrielle Griffiths (Bedford, Mass.) and Sardella en route to the 25-17 set win.

Trailing 6-3 in game four, Mirra, Griffiths, and Sardella answered with kills for the Fitchburg State to close the gap (11-9). Worcester State moved to a 14-10 lead with an ace from Megan Bardis but the Falcons closed the deficit (14-13) on the solid serve of Sardella. Trailing 18-13, Fitchburg State went on a 4-0 run, including an ace from Sydney Nortellus (North Billerica, Mass.), and a defensive mistake from the Lancers made it 21-19. Knotted at 23-23, 24-24, and 25-25, Worcester State strung together two straight points to take the match.

Inside the Numbers 

• Three Falcons had double-digit digs, Goodearl (18), Mirra (17) and Sardella (15)
• Taylor had a team-high 14 assists and 7 digs, while Gelinas added 13 helpers, three aces, 8 digs and 3 kills.
• Sardella added 11 kills, 2 aces and a block to her 15 digs
• Camryn Burgio led both teams with 27 digs, a kill and an ace, while Bardis chipped in with 10 assists, 10 digs, and 4 aces. 

Up Next

Falcons are back in action on Wednesday evening when they travel to MCLA for a MASCAC match-up starting at 6:30 PM.