LASERS SPLIT AT GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TRI-MATCH

The Mount Ida College women's volleyball team hosted their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match today against Suffolk University and Lasell College. Winning both ends, the Mustangs would improve to 8-8 overall, 2-1 in conference play while the Lasers were 1-1 on the day making their record 4-9 for the year, 2-2 in the GNAC. The Rams left 0-2, dropping to 3-7 overall, 1-4 in the conference.

Suffolk University and Lasell College battled it out in the second match of the day. The Lasers came out hot in game one collecting the 25-10 victory. Lasell had a tougher time in game two, holding off the Rams, squeaking out the 25-19 win. It appeared as if the Lasers would win handily up 9-5 early on. But Suffolk knotted the score twice at 13-13 and 14-14, keeping the opponent in check but eventually, Lasell would pull away notching the game two victory.

Game three was back and forth early on with the Rams leading 4-3. But the Lasers sprung ahead holding a small margin between the squads leading 10-9. They would ultimately pull away gaining the 25-15 win and take home the 3-0 match victory.

Nicole Wetterman (Dighton, MA) and Danielle Drapeau (Biddeford, ME) had 8 kills and 7 kills respectively, while Eileen Barrett (Ludlow, MA) and Jenna-Lynn Geary (Marion, MA) pitched in an additional 10 kills together. Meghan Crozier (Ballston Spa, NY) dished out 15 assists for the Lasers.

Without a doubt, the match of the day was the back end of today's GNAC tri-match with Mount Ida hosting rival and neighboring school Lasell. The Mustangs trailed early on down 8-5 while the Lasers compiled an offensive strike taking the advantage. It would lock at 8-8 and again at 10-10, until the hosts took over the momentum and pulled ahead on six consecutive points up 17-11. Lasell would not go quietly, catching the Mustangs on some key blocks, two by Laser Barrett, making it 19-18. But Mount Ida regrouped and rode the 25-21 game one win to go up 1-0 in the match.

It was all about the Mustangs in game two, especially Blair Canan, dominating the outside with scorching offensive attack. It remained close in the beginning with Mount Ida leading 7-5. The score would knot twice at 7-7 and 8-8, but that was as close as the Lasers would get while Mount Ida gained the momentum, started by Canan, on a huge kill up 11-9. The hosts would slowly creep away, holding a small lead for the remainder of game two. The high powered offensive assault of the Mustangs overwhelmed the competition giving them the outright 25-15 victory taking the 2-0 match lead.

Game three was all Lasers early on leading 10-7, off a kill by freshman Kayla Binette (Biddeford, ME/Biddeford). Unfortunately for the visitors, the Mustangs were fired up regaining the advantage off a block by Rachelle Gilbert. Lasell would do everything they could to deflate Mount Ida, but it would only get as close at 20-19. The Mustangs would go on to capture the win, 25-20, and the 3-0 match victory.

Binette and Crozier picked up 14 assists combined in the second match of the day. Junior captain, Amanda Major (Southbury, CT) had 33 digs overall in the two matches.

The Lasers return to play on Thursday, October 2nd in the Lasell College Athletic Center, at 7:00 p.m., against Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Article courtesy of Mount Ida Sports Information Department.