WVB: Lasell posts GNAC sweep over Colby-Sawyer and Saint Joseph (Conn.)

NEWTON, Mass. – Freshmen Sabine Milton (San Mateo, Calif.), Tori Scambray (Brea, Calif.) and Mckenna McCool (Loomis, Calif.) combined for 64 kills and 50 digs Saturday afternoon to lead Lasell University to a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victories in a women's volleyball tri-match at the Lasell Athletic Center.

The Lasers rallied from down a set in the opener to defeat Colby-Sawyer College, 3-2, and then came back to sweep the University of Saint Joseph of Connecticut, 3-0, to finish off the afternoon. The Lasers improve to 8-5 overall and 2-1 in GNAC matches, while Colby-Sawyer is now 6-10 overall and 1-2 in conference play and USJ is 3-8 and 0-5.

The Lasers will be back in action on Tuesday with a non-conference match at Fitchburg State University, beginning at 6 p.m.

Lasell 3, Colby-Sawyer 2 (25-20, 23-25, 18-25, 25-19, 15-9)

Scambray posted an impressive double-double with a match-high 14 kills and 15 digs while Milton added 11 winners, nine digs and four blocks and McCool was good for nine kills, six digs and a match-high five service aces. Senior Jess Langan (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) contributed 38 set assists and sophomore libero Isabelle Babcock (York, Maine) made 15 digs.

The first set was tied 10-10 when Lasell went on an 8-1 surge to pull ahead, keyed by three kills by Milton. The Chargers answered with a six-point rally, but the Lasers didn't relinquish the lead and went on to a 25-20 set victory.

Lasell led the first half of set two, going up by scores of 12-7 and 15-11, but the Chargers came back to tie the score at 15-all. It was tied at 20-20 and 21-apiece, but the visitors pulled away to a 25-23 verdict to tie the match at one set apiece.

The Chargers scored the first eight points of the third set and maintained a sizeable lead most of the way. Lasell got to within five points a couple times (20-15 and 23-18) but Colby-Sawyer held on to take a 2-1 set advantage.

After splitting the first 12 points of the fourth set, Lasell pulled away and never looked back. The Lasers had an eight-point margin (19-11) before Colby-Sawyer made a late challenge, but Lasell held on to force the decisive fifth set.

Lasell scored the first four points on two kills by Milton and two aces by McCool, and then extended its lead to 7-1. The Lasers led by at least five points the rest of the way and went on to win 15-9 to clinch the match.

Lasell 3, Saint Joseph (Conn.) 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-19)

Milton posted 13 kills with a .346 attack percentage to lead the Lasers, while McCool smashed 11 kills with a .391 attack percentage along with 11 digs. Scambray added six winners and freshman Juliana Medini (Roxbury, N.J.) posted a team-high three blocks in the win.

The upset-minded Blue Jays took an early lead in the first set, but Lasell responded with a rally to tie the set at 7-7. A six-point surge turned a 10-9 lead into a 16-9 margin for the Lasers, and USJ didn't recover and Lasell went on to a 25-15 verdict in the first set.

Lasell had an early lead in the second set, but USJ hung around and trailed just 8-7. A four-point surge, including a pair of aces by Babcock, lifted the Lasers to a 12-7 lead, and then the teams went back and forth as Lasell maintained the five-point lead. A late five-point rally by Lasell, including a pair of kills by McCool, sent the home team to the victory in the second set.

The Lasers controlled the third set, jumping to a 6-0 lead and extending the margin to 11-1. Lasell maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way, putting away the set 25-19 to clinch the sweep.

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