Volleyball Splits Tri-Match with Eastern Nazarene and MCLA

Framingham, Mass.  — The MCLA women's volleyball team defeated Framingham State 3-2 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) women's volleyball match this afternoon and then defeated the Eastern Nazarene Lions 3-1 in a non-conference match up to sweep a tri-match played at Framingham's Athletic Center.  The Rams defeated Eastern Nazarene 3-0 in the days other match.                    

With the two wins the Trailblazers improve to 14-9 on the season and the victory over the Rams improves their conference record to 3-2.  Framingham State is now 2-3 in the MASCAC and 17-13 overall, while the Lions fall to 3-24 on the season with the two losses today. 

In the day's first match, the Trailblazers defeated the Rams in five sets and the victory moves them into fourth place in the conference standings just ahead of the Rams for the final playoff spot.  The Trailblazers won the first set 25-19 and the Rams took the second 25-20.  The two teams split the third and fourth sets with MCLA taking the third 25-21 and the Rams taking the fourth 25-18 before the Trailblazers won the deciding game 17-15.

MCLA was led by senior Amanda Borsotti (Lee, Mass.), who chipped in a team-high 12 kills in the match, while Christina Kidd (Glen Falls, NY) added eight and Kayla Bromback (Lee, Mass.) added seven.  Senior libero Amanda Lane (Swansea, Mass.) had a strong defensive game for the Trailblazers picking up 40 digs, while Kelley Bryant (West Springfield, Mass.) added 11.

Senior Lauren Kasischke (Methuen, Mass.) and freshman Erin Connolly (Lakeville, Mass.) contributed 12 and 10 kills respectively for the Rams, while libero Jessi Goode (Marston Mills, Mass.) added 16 digs and 23 receptions in the loss to MCLA.

In the middle match the Trailblazers won the first game 25-16, before the Lions came back to tie the match at one set apiece with a 28-26 in game two.  The Trailblazers regrouped to win the third set 27-25 and then closed out the match with a 25-10 win in game four.

Bromback led the Trailblazers with 13 kills, while Borsotti added eight kills and two aces.  Freshman Kristen Robillard (Swansea, Mass.) had a strong all around game chipping in ten digs and six aces.

The Lions were led by senior Amber Burns (Fall River, Mass.) who picked up 10 kills, while Cayla Clinkscale (Winchendon, Mass.) added 18 digs.  Leann Williams (Oxford, PA) had a strong defensive game for the Lions with four blocks.

The Rams defeated the Lions in straight sets in the day's final match winning by scores of 25-15, 25-18 and 29-27. Freshman Andressa Fernandes (Framingham, Mass.) led the way for the Rams with 10 kills, while Connolly added nine.  Goode finished the day with a solid game picking up 19 digs and three aces.

The Lions were one again led by Burns who picked up five kills, while Sarah Dutra (Paramus, NJ) and Clinkscale chipped in 13 digs apiece.

The Rams return to action on Thursday as they travel to Salem State at 7 p.m.  The Trailblazers and the Lions both resume play on Tuesday with MCLA hosting Norwich at 7 p.m. and Eastern Nazarene hosting Daniel Webster also at 7 p.m.