Volleyball Sweeps Tri-Match with Worcester State and Husson

Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University women's volleyball team swept a tri-match this afternoon with Worcester State University and Husson University.  The Rams defeated Worcester State 3-1 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) match up in the day's first game and defeated Husson 3-0 in the final match.  Worcester State defeated the Eagles 3-2 in the day's other match.

With the pair of victories the Rams improve to 16-8 on the year, while the split improves the Lancers season mark to 10-14.  The pair of losses drops the Eagles to 14-10 on the season.

Framingham State improved their conference record to 4-1 with the victory over Worcester State in the day's first match, while the Lancers are now 2-2 in the MASCAC.  The Rams won by scores of 25-13, 25-17, 17-25 and 25-18. 

The Rams were led by freshman middle hitter Ashley Nee (Hanson, Mass.) who recorded a match-best 13 kills, nine digs and four blocks.  Sophomore Andressa Fernandes (Framingham, Mass.) added 10 kills, while classmate Erin Connolly (Lakeville, Mass.) chipped in nine.  Junior Jackie Friel (Centerville, Mass.) picked up a match-high 5 blocks, while freshman Morgan Drew (North Easton, Mass.) added 31 assists.

Becky Lebel (Millbury, Mass.) led the Lancers attack with a team-high 10 kills and 17 digs, while freshman Alyssa Jasper (Rockland, Mass.) picked up seven kills and six digs.  Senior Joanne Grenier (Orange, Mass.) added 30 assists and five digs, while sophomore Vicki O'Brien (Canton, Mass.) added a team-high 22 digs.

In the day's second match the Lancers picked up a hard fought 3-2 victory over Husson University.  The Lancers won the first and third sets by the score of 25-20, while the Eagles won the second and fourth by scores of 25-21 and 25-19.  In the decisive fifth game, Husson jumped out to an 8-5 lead as they capitalized on a pair of WSU set errors.  Worcester State came storming back to tie the set at 10-10 on a kill by Katey Figella (Feeding Hills, Mass.).  The Lancers eventually went on to win the set and the match 15-12.

Jasper led the Lancers in their second match with a team-high 13 kills, while Lebel added 11 and 13 digs.  Freshman Amanda Lewis (Poughkeepsie, NY) picked up 25 assists and 10 digs for the Lancers, while O'Brien once again led the team with 22 digs.

The Eagles were led by junior Chelly Smith (New Boston, NH) who contributed a team-high 11 kills, four aces and 16 digs,  while Hannah Olstad and Kelsey Burrill (Somersworth, NH) added six and five kills respectively.  Junior setter Aleta Johnson (Milton, NH) chopped in 25 assists.

The Rams cruised to the 3-0 victory in the final match winning by scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-19.  Fernandes and Nee paced the Rams with a team-best 10 kills apiece, while freshman Kayla Bertrand (Agawam, Mass.) picked up 17 digs.  Friel added six blocks and eight kills, while Nee also picked up three blocks.

Olstad paced the Eagles in their second match with 14 kills and an ace, while Smith picked up five kills.  Kate Freudenberger (Bangor, ME) picked up a pair of solo blocks, while Johnson added 15 assists.

The Rams return to action on Wednesday night at Eastern Connecticut at 7 p.m., while the Lancers travel to Bridgewater State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and the Eagles host Maine Maritime on Wednesday at 7 p.m.