WVB: Lasell falls to Elms but rebounds with win over Fisher

NEWTON, Mass. – Freshman Sabine Milton (San Mateo, Calif.) posted 27 kills on the day to lead Lasell University in a women's volleyball tri-match at the Lasell Athletic Center.

The Lasers dropped a 3-1 decision to Elms College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match in the morning, but rebounded with a 3-0 non-conference sweep over Fisher College in the afternoon encounter. Lasell is now 6-4 overall and 0-1 in the GNAC, while Elms, which also swept Fisher, 3-0, extended its win streak to eight matches and improved to 9-3 overall and 4-0 in the GNAC. Fisher's two losses dropped the Falcons to 3-0.

The Lasers will be back in action on Tuesday with a non-conference match at Smith College, beginning at 7 p.m.

Elms 3, Lasell 1 (25-23, 25-19, 24-26, 25-19)

Milton had a monster performance for Lasell with 17 kills and a season-high 20 digs, hitting at a .394 clip. Freshman Tori Scambray (Brea, Calif.) added 13 kills and eight digs, and classmate Mckenna McCool (Loomis, Calif.) smashed eight kills on 11 attempts (.727 pct.). Freshman Juliana Medini (Roxbury, N.J.) also contributed six kills and a team-high four blocks, and rookie setter Emily Cerasani (Buena Park, Calif.) recorded 36 assists.

Senior Alanys Cruz Diaz (Humacao, P.R.) led the Blazers with 18 kills and a .351 attack percentage, and Jaylianne Ramos Figueroa (Boca Raton, Fla.) was good for a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs, along with seven aces. Junior Laura Jensen (Torrance, Calif.) also contributed five kills and eight services aces as the Blazers recorded 20 aces as a team.

The Blazers led most of the way in the first set, with several aces from Jensen and kills by Cruz Diaz. The Lasers were within a point at 11-10 before Elms pulled away to a 19-11 lead. Lasell crawled back to within three at 23-20 and within one at 24-23, but the visitors held on for the 25-23 victory.

The teams traded leads in a close second set, with several ties along the way. Lasell pulled ahead 19-18, but Ramos Figueroa rattled off a kill and three straight aces to give the Blazers the lead for good as Elms pulled out the 25-20 verdict.

The third set was a three or four-point score most of the way. Lasell started to pull away but the visitors came back to tie it 23-all and served for the match at 24-23, but the Lasers would not be denied, rattling off three straight points to take the set, 26-24, thanks to kills by Scambray and Milton.

Lasell had a five-point cushion (13-8) in the fourth-set but Elms went on a 9-1 rally to pull ahead 17-14.  The home team stayed close, trailing 20-19, but Elms closed things out, 25-19, to clinch the match.

Lasell 3, Fisher 0 (25-8, 25-18, 25-23)

Milton added 10 kills (.304) to lead the Lasers, while McCool added seven winners and freshman Madalyn Scully (Mauston, Wis.) contributed seven blocks. Sophomore Isabelle Babcock (York, Maine) posted a team-high 17 digs.

Lasell dominated the first set, jumping out to a 10-2 lead early on and extending its margin to 16-5. Fisher scored three in a row to cut the margin to 16-8, but the Lasers closed out the set in nine unanswered points on the serving of Cerasani.

Fisher took an early 7-3 lead in the second set, but Lasell rallied to take a 10-8 advantage and pulled away to a 19-11 lead. The teams then went back and forth before Lasell claimed a 25-18 verdict.

The Falcons had the lead much of the third set, pulling out to a 20-14 lead. Lasell buckled down, and on the serving of Babcock, rattled off eight straight points to go ahead, 22-20. Fisher did not give up, but Lasell held on for a 25-23 decision to clinch the match.

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