Women's Volleyball Hands Monks First Conference Loss, 3-1

NEWTON, Mass. (10/12/15) – The Lasell College women's volleyball team defeated Saint Joseph's College (Maine) 3-1 by set scores of 25-20, 25-23, 13-25, and 25-16 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) triumph on Monday afternoon in the Athletic Center Gym. The Lasers improve to 7-17 and 2-4 in the GNAC, while the Monks suffer their first conference loss at 5-1 and drop to 19-3 overall.

Freshman Olivia Addington (Orange, Calif.) dominated the court with a game-high 16 kills and 15 digs to contribute to her third consecutive double-double. Senior Sharisse Scott-Rawlins (Brockton, Mass.) followed with an impressive 14 kills and eight digs, while sophomore Caitlyn Garcia (Moreno Valley, Calif.) led the Lasers' defense with 19 digs.

For the Monks, senior Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) swung into a game-high 16 kills, while senior Alli Hollander (Thermal, Calif.) added seven kills. Freshman libero Jennelle Thompson (Farmington, N.H.) hit the floor for a match-best 22 digs in the effort.

Lasell used an impressive .364 hitting percentage in set one, and survived seven ties before sophomore Meredith Eagan (North Andover, Mass.) served up four straight points for a 23-19 bump in the hosts' favor. An SJC ball handling error would award the Lasers the 25-20 victory as they headed into the second set.

After both teams traded opening points in set two, Addington smashed a pair of kills to force a Monks' timeout, 10-4. The Lasers held a substantial lead before the visitors' came crawling back and evened out the score 21-21 via a kill from Hollander.  In a crucial 23-23 situation, Scott-Rawlins jumped up for back-to-back kills, sealing a 25-23 victory.

Momentum switched in set three, as Saint Joe's Maine jumped out to an early 12-7 advantage to force the Lasers' to take a time out. Despite the break, the Monk's peppered the Lasers and put the set out of reach when Wachowiak crushed a set from junior Mariah Hebest (Biddeford, Maine) for the 24-12 advantage. A service error from the home team awarded the Monks' a 25-13 set victory, and both teams headed into set four action.

In the opening moments of a crucial fourth set, both teams went back and forth before Garcia took the service line to propel the Lasers on a 4-0 run, forcing another Saint Joe's timeout. Lasell would not take the break for granted, however, as sophomore Taylor Tiezzi (Meriden, Conn.) continued the offensive mindset and swung into a kill for Lasell. The Lasers would be forced to use their first timeout of the set when the Monks' added three straight points, capped by a pair of Lasell errors.

Scott-Rawlins and freshman Odina Ellis (Providence, R.I.) would team up to put the set at 20-13 in favor of the hosts, as the Monks used their final timeout of the set. With confidence and energy on their side, the Lasers sealed a 25-16 set victory, capped by a kill from Addington.

The Lasers resume the court on Saturday, October 17 as they host Suffolk University and Coast Guard Academy for a tri-match beginning at 11:00 a.m. as part of Lasell's Family, Friends, and Alumni Weekend. The Monks return to home-contest, non-conference action on Thursday, October 15 when they host The University of New England for first-serve slated for 6:30 p.m.