WVB: Lasers split in doubleheader to pick up first win of the season

WENHAM, Mass. - The Lasell University women's volleyball team completed their doubleheader this afternoon against MIT and Gordon College (Invitational Host) in which the Lasers split in their two matches dropping the first to the Engineers of MIT and defeating the Fighting Scots of Gordon. Lasell moves to 1-2, while MIT improves to 3-0 and Gordon College drops to 0-3. The Lasers are set to host WentWorth in the Athletic Center on Tuesday night (9/6) at 7:00 PM.

MIT 3, Lasell 0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-10)

The Lasers looked in control early on in the first set as they led 10-4. As it seemed the Lasers were in control to steal the first set while leading 21-16, MIT found some momentum to tie it up with five straight points to make it 21-21. From there, it looked as if it could have gone either way, but MIT snuck away with a clinching kill from Ali Gibbs (Chagrin Falls, OH) to take set 1. The Engineers took a 5-0 lead early on in the second set but Lasell responded back early on to trail 6-5. From there, it was a back and forth set with the Engineers sneaking away with the second set, giving them a 2-0 lead. In the final set, both teams kept it close at 13-9 until MIT scored 10 straight points to make it 23-9 and ultimately led to a sweep with the third set ending at 25-10. 

For the Lasers, the sophomore trio of Sabine Milton (San Mateo, Calif.), McKenna McCool (Loomis, Calif.), and Juliana Medini (Roxbury, N.J.) combined for 15 of the Lasers 21 team kills while the freshmen duo of Sydney Katz (Ridgefield, Conn.) and Saige Cambonga-Meyers (Springdale, Ark.) combined for 13 of Lasell's 19 team assists, respectively. In addition, the Lasers had 45 digs defensively with Maddie Caro (Chula Vista, Calif.) and Cambonga-Meyers both leading the way with 9 digs.

Lasell 3, Gordon 0 (25-15, 25-17, 26-24)

The first set was up for grabs early on as the Fighting Scots were up 10-7. Then, Lasell went on a tear scoring 11 straight points to take an 18-10 lead and the Lasers would ultimately control the rest of set 1 by taking an early 1-0 lead from the outstanding performance of McCool, who had 10 kills in the set, respectively. In Set 2, the Lasers took an early 10-3 lead until the Fighting Scots fought back and kept it close towards the midway point of the game. Leading 18-17, the Lasers would take over with 7 straight points to close out set 2. In the last set, it was a hard fought battle between these two programs with Lasell ultimately sneaking by to sweep the Fighting Scots to pick up their first win of the season.

For Lasell, McCool led the way with 18 kills and 7 service aces, while her fellow classmates Medini and Camila Lopez (Barquisimeto, Venezuela) both had 5 kills apiece, respectively. Katz and Cambonga-Meyers both combined for 27 of the Laser's 34 assists, while defensively, Caro and Hope McFall (Bellingham, Wash.) lead the charge with 10 and 8 digs, respectively.