Women's Volleyball Swept in GNAC Tri-Match vs. Simmons and Regis

THE BASICS 

Score: 
Match 1: Simmons 3 – Emmanuel 0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-23)

Match 2: Regis 3 – Emmanuel 0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-15)

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (1-6, 0-2 GNAC)

Simmons University Sharks (3-5, 1-0 GNAC)
Regis College Pride (5-5, 1-0 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Holmes Sports Center

Date: Saturday, September 17, 2022

THE LEAD – In the first GNAC play of the 2022 season for Emmanuel women's volleyball, the Saints took a pair of straight-set sweep losses at the hands of Simmons and Regis in a Saturday tri-match, hosted by the Sharks.

MATCH 1: Simmons 3 – Emmanuel 0

• In the opening set, the Saints and Sharks battled for momentum throughout the set, until the final six points determined a first-set winner. Simmons led 19-17 late in the set and with the use of three Saints errors, two kills, and an ace, the Sharks claimed the final six points of the set to win 25-17.
• In the second set, Simmons ran out to an 11-2 advantage, but it was a lead that would not initially hold as EC went on a 16-3 spurt, overtaking the Sharks early advantage, as Emmanuel held an 18-14 lead. But like the first set, the critical points of the second came late with SU closing the deficit to tie the set at 23-23. Back-to-back Sharks kills made the final difference in set two, with Simmons taking the set 25-23.
• The final set of the opening match was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team holding more than a four-point lead in the set. EC trailed by one at 18-17, before a three-point string for the Sharks established a 22-18 edge. The Saints managed to hold off one match point later in the set, but a serving error would end the set, in favor of Simmons, 25-23.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (MATCH 1)

• Sharks sophomore April Beatty (Rochester, N.H.) led the match with 10 kills. Beatty matched a game-high with nine digs; one of six players between the two sides with nine digs.
• Senior Sydney Iannantuono (East Lyme, Conn.) had eight kills and nine digs in the win.
• Saints junior Seana Phillips (Middleboro, Mass.) led EC with four kills while hitting .250 from the floor.
• Senior Rachel Coleman (Peabody, Mass.) and junior Alison Doherty (Woburn, Mass.) each finished with two kills and nine digs.

MATCH 2: Regis 3 – Emmanuel 0

• After a close start through the beginning of the set, Regis gained the upper hand by winning eight of 10 points, to grab a 12-6 lead. The Pride wouldn't surrender that lead, despite the Saints closing to within three points at 19-16. Regis steadied the momentum and claimed the first set, 25-18, capping the first with an assisted block by graduate student Valerie Whalen (Stoughton, Mass.) and senior Rita Dow (Nashua, N.H.).
• In the second, RC dashed out to a 7-0 lead, an advantage that provided plenty of space for the Pride to win the second set. EC couldn't get closer than five after falling behind early, as a Regis ace finished off the second set, in favor of the Pride, 25-14.
• In the third set, it was yet again another early scoring run for the Pride that held off the Saints. With Regis leading 7-5, the Pride went on a 9-2 scoring run to run out to a 16-7 edge. EC would respond later in the set with five straight points won, but the early lead for RC turned out to be too large as another service ace finished off the set, 25-15, in favor of Regis.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (MATCH 2)

• Pride junior Ahnasia McKinney (Chelmsford, Mass.) led Regis with seven kills while hitting .500 on the afternoon.
• Sophomore Kamden Tenorio (Irvine, Calif.) added six kills and three service aces.
• First-year Kaitlyn Miller (Nottingham, N.H.) stuffed the stat sheet with four kills, four aces, and 12 assists.
• Saints senior Kerry Shea (Tewksbury, Mass.) led EC with four kills to go along with three service aces.
• First-year Grace Murphy (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), in her second match of the season, equaled a match-high with four service aces.

UP NEXT

• The Saints are back in action on Sept. 20, as they welcome Rhode Island College to the Jean Yawkey Center for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match.
• The Sharks head to Westfield State on Sept. 20 for a 7:00 p.m. match with the Owls and the start of a four-game road trip for Simmons.
• The Pride welcome Eastern Nazarene on Sept. 20 at 6:00 p.m., the start of four straight at home for Regis.