WVB: Lasers sweep Owls in non-conference match

NEWTON, Mass. - The Lasell University Women's Volleyball team swept the Owls of Keene State to move to 4-5 on the season. McKenna McCool (Loomis, Calif.) led the Lasers in kills with 14 kills while classmate Madalyn Scully (Mauston, Wis.) notched a career-high 8 kills. Sydney Katz (Ridgefield, CT.) registered 22 assists for Lasell, followed by Emily Cerasani (Buena Park, Calif.) who chipped in 14 assists. Maddie Caro (Chula Vista, Calif.) and Camila Lopez (Barquisimeto, Venezuela) both paced the Lasers defensively with 20 and 15 digs, respectively. Juliana Medini (Roxbury, N.J.) chipped in as well defensively with 7 blocks. For the Owls, Sydney Johnson (Brentwood, N.H.) led the game in kills with 15. Kacie Blanchet (Salem, N.H.) was also the game leader with 33 assists. Reagan Fleming (Pearl River, N.Y.) and Kristlynn Hunt (Windham, N.H.) both combined for 26 digs for Keene State.

In the first set, the Lasers quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead, forcing Keene State to call a timeout. After that, the Lasers kept themselves in control for a good majority of the set despite the Owls trying to gain some momentum. The Lasers would ultimately pull off a victory in the first set winning 25-18.

The second set started out as a very close back-and-forth set between the Owls and the Lasers until Lasell grabbed a 16-9 lead. Then, Keene State scored 7 straight points to tie it up at 16 apiece. After both teams traded blows, the Owls were 1 point away from stealing the set as they were up 24-22. An Owl service error and a Laser service ace brought Lasell back into this set as they tied it at 24-24. Keene state tried to capitalize off a service error at 25-24 but three straight kills from Lopez, Scully, and Emily VanHouten (Rockaway, N.J.) gave the Lasers the slight edge at 27-25.

Despite the Owls jumping to a 4-0 lead early, the Lasers would gradually sneak the lead and stretched the lead late in the set at 23-17. Keene State would come crawling back with 4 straight points of their own to make it 23-21, forcing the Lasers to call a timeout. A kill from Camila Lopez would make it 24-21 and the Owls would respond with 2 points after that. Then, McKenna McCool stopped all hopes of a sneaky comeback victory and the Lasers would slide past the Owls 25-23. 

Lasell is back in action Friday and Saturday when they travel to Rochester, New York for the St. John Fisher tournament while Keene State hosts Clark University on Thursday night.