For Immediate Release
October 17, 2009
Wellesley Sports Information
Wellesley Volleyball Invitational
October 16-17, 2009
(Round Robin Only. No playoffs or champion.)
Match #1 -- 10/16, 6:00 p.m. -- Wellesley 3, Endicott 1 (26-28, 25-16, 25-21, 25-23)
Wellesley volleyball opened its Invitational this evening with a 3-1 win over Endicott College at Keohane Sports Center. The win lifts the Blue to 15-6. The Gulls drop to 14-10.
Set one was a sideout affair until a three-point service run from Isabel Custodio (Powell, OH) gave Wellesley a 17-13 lead. After trading sideouts, Endicott used a four-point run, highlighted by two stuff blocks from Elyse Barbour (Greenville, RI), to take a 21-20 edge. The Gulls hung on for a 28-26 win.
In game 2, the squads once again traded sideouts through the first half of the set. Wellesley opened a 16-12 advantage with another serving run from Custodio, and finished the set with a four straight points from Elizabeth Campbell (Solona Beach, CA), taking the game 25-16 to tie the match at one set each.
Set three followed the same script, with neither team gaining an early advantage until Steph Weise (Higganum, CT) gave the Gulls a 17-13 lead with four consecutive points. But Wellesley responded by winning 12 of the next 16 rallies for the 25-21 win, including three straight kills from Alice Cummings (Tallahassee, FL) to finish the game.
Wellesley carried the momentum into game four, taking a 10-6 lead in the early going. Endicott trimmed the lead to 12-11 with kills from Wiese and Brittany Phillips (Sudbury, MA), but Wellesley snagged eight of the next nine points to take a commanding 20-12 advantage. The Gulls charged back with kills from Barbour and Phillips, pulling to within one at 23-22, but the Blue hung on for a 25-23 win to take the match 3-1.
Barbour led the Gulls at the net, with nine kills and five blocks. Wiese and Phillips added eight kills each. Mollie Postma (Everett, WA) and Allison Murphy (Gilford, NH) shared the setting duties, tallying 18 and 17 assists, respectively. Ashley Norley (Sudbury, MA) recorded 16 digs in the loss.
Four Wellesley players reached double-figures in kills. Cummings led the Blue with 16, followed by Taylor King (Walnut Creek, CA) with 11, and Madeleine Brumley (Lafeyette, LA) and Campbell with 10 each. Custodio split setting duties with Peng, as the two combined for 53 assists. Cummings led all players 21 digs.
Match #2 -- 10/16, 8:00 p.m. -- New Paltz 3, Bates 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-20)
In the second round of the Wellesley Invitational, New Paltz swept Bates, 3-0. The Hawks now stand at 19-5 on the season. The Bobcats drop to 9-7.
New Paltz scored early and often in game one, using serving runs from Dana Kindelmann (Nesconset, NY) and Stephanie Bova (Central Square, NY) to take a 13-6 lead. A second run from Kindelmann stretched the lead to 21-9 as the Hawks cruised to a 25-11 win.
New Paltz took a slight edge early in set two, using a short run from Melinda DiGiovanna (West Hempstead, NY) to take a 7-3 lead. Bates stayed close, trading sideouts until four straight points from Olivia Schow (Costa Mesa, CA) trimmed the lead to 20-19. But the Hawks answered by winning the next five rallies to seal the 25-19 win.
In game three, the Hawks once again jumped out early, taking a 6-0 lead before Bates got on the board. New Paltz extended the lead to 14-7 on a run from Stephanie Skrobach (Webster, NY), but the Bobcats battled back with three straight from Schow and two from Eliza Pyne (Atherton, CA) to trim the lead to 22-18. New Paltz stopped the bleeding with two more serving points from Skrobach and held on for the 25-20 win.
New Paltz was led by Brittany Coyle (Middletown, NY) with nine kills and five blocks. Alison Kiernan (New Hyde Park, NY) tallied seven kills with Bova dishing out 25 assists. Loren Crabbe (Ballston Lake, NY) was the digs leader, recording 11 in the match, while Kindelmann added five blocks for the Hawks. Bova and DiGiovanna added two services aces each in the victory.
For Bates, Grace Haessler (Portland, OR) led all players with 27 assists, while also picking up 10 digs. Nicole Russell (Boca Raton, FL) had a match-high 18 digs while Liz Leberman (Concord, NH) and Tess Dokus (Fairport, NY) recorded totals of seven and six kills. Pyne (Atherton, CA) picked up three blocks, while Avery Masters (Mill Valley, CA) contributed two.
Match #3 -- 10/17, 10:00 a.m. --New Paltz 3, Endicott 1 (25-22, 25-13, 21-25, 25-15)
In the opening match of day two at the Wellesley Invitational, New Paltz State extended its winning streak to ten with a 3-1 win over Endicott College. The Hawks are now 20-5. The Gulls stand at 14-11.
In a hard-fought first set, the squads traded sideouts throughout the early rallies. Endicott used a four-point serving run from setter Mollie Postma (Everett, WA) to open a 17-14 edge, but New Paltz answered with seven straight to take a 21-17 lead enroute to a 25-22 win.
The Hawks maintained the momentum in set two, using a strong middle attack from Brittany Coyle (Middletown, NY) and backside attack from Ali Kiernan (New Hyde Park, NY) to build a 21-9 lead before taking the game 25-13.
Endicott rebounded in set three with a strong performance from its all-time kill leader Steph Wiese (Higganum, CT). The Gulls built a 12-10 lead midway through the game with back-to-back four-point runs from Brittany Phillips (Sudbury, MA) and Amy Grigg (Vernon, CT). Endicott extended its lead to 21-17 before snagging a 25-21 win and a 2-1 score in the match.
New Paltz responded with a six-point serving run from libero Loren Crabbe (Ballston Lake, NY) to open set four. The teams traded sidouts for several rallies before another run from Crabbe gave New Paltz a 21-10 lead as they sealed the match with a 25-15 win.
Wiese and Phillips led the Endicott attack with 16 and 13 kills, respectively. In the backcourt, Ashley Norley (Sudbury, MA) tallied 24 digs to lead the Gulls, while Phillips chipped in 19 of her own. Allison Murphy (Gilford, NH) tallied 27 assists in the loss.
For the Hawks, Kiernan tallied 12 kills while Coyle added 11 kills and five blocks. Priska Wilson (Warwick, NY) and Melinda DiGiovanna (West Hempstead, NY) anchored the defenese with 24 and 20 digs, respectively, while Stephanie Bova (Central Square, NY) distributed 44 assists.
Match #4 -- 10/17, 12:00 p.m. -- Bates 3, Endicott 0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-17)
Bates College evened its Wellesley Invitational record at 1-1 with a 3-0 win over Endicott College today at Keohane Sports Center. The win lifts the Bobcats' record to 11-7. Endicott drops to 14-12.
In a very tight first set, neither team could gain an advantage as the squads traded sideouts throughout the game. Bates finally opened a slim 22-20 lead, but Endicott tied the score at 24-24 with two clutch points during Mollie Postma's (Everett, WA) serve, forcing the set into overtime. Bates answered with two quick points from Liz Leberman (Concord, NH) to take the first set 27-25.
Endicott snatched the early lead in game two as Brittany Phillips (Sudbury, MA) strung together six straight points for a 6-3 edge. Bates surged back, knotting the score at 10-10 before taking a 13-11 advantage. The Bobcats extended their lead to 22-16, courtesy of tough serving from libero Nicole Russell (Boca Raton, FL), before taking the second set 25-20.
The teams traded sideouts through the opening rallies of set three, until a three-point run from Falyn Torelli (Pelham, NY) gave Endicott a 13-10 lead. Two rallies later, Rachel Colby (Willimantic, CT) led Bates on an eight-point run to break the set open at 21-15. The Bobcats scored four of the next six points to take the set 25-17, sealing the sweep.
Steph Wiese (Higganum, CT) led Endicott at the net with 12 kills. Allison Murphy (Gilford, CT) tallied 15 assists, while Ashley Norley (Sudbury, MA) recorded 16 digs. Elyse Barbour (Greenville, RI) and Sarah Van Haaren (Warwick, RI) notched three and two blocks, respectively.
Leberman led the Bobcats at the net with 12 kills. Avery Masters (Mill Valley, CA) added eight kills, while Olivia Schow (Costa Mesa, CA) and Tess Dokus (Fairport, NY) chipped in six each. Nicole Russell led the defense with 14 digs, as Grace Haessler (Portland, OR) guided the offense with 37 assists.
Match #5 -- 10/17, 2:00 p.m. -- Bridgewater State vs. New Paltz (25-14, 25-21, 25-16)
New Paltz downed Bridgewater State 3-0, improving their Wellesley Invitational record to 3-0. The Hawks are now 21-5. The Bears fall to 5-14.
After exchanging the first points of the match, New Paltz opened up their lead to 7-2 with a 5-point serving run by Michelle Jacobson (Cortlandt Manor, NY). Despite exchanging the next few points, Bridgewater State could not contain New Paltz who put together a three point run by Alison Kiernan (New Hyde Park, NY) to lead the match 13-5. New Paltz went on to win 25-14.
The Hawks kept their momentum going to win a tough second set. After exhanging early points, Kiernan again led New Paltz with a 3-point run to make the score 9-8. Priska Wilson (Warwick, NY) then put togeher a five point run to put the Hawks ahead 14-11. Despite a strong effort by Bridgewater State, New Paltz held on to their lead to win 25-21.
In the third set, Bridgewater State went on an early 3-point run by Wilson, but it was not enough to contain New Paltz. The score remained tight until Maddy Gergen (Stony Brook,NY) gave New Paltz a 17-10 lead on a five-point serving run. The set ended with a 25-16 win for the Hawks, sealing a 3-0 victory.
New Paltz was led by Dana Vesilla (Massapequa, NY) who had 5 kills and 1 block, and Kelly Lavender (Apalachin, NY) with 6 kills. Kelsey Garmendia (Pine Bush, NY) had 19 assists and 2 aces. Loren Crabbe (Balston Lake, NY) had 10 digs, while Michelle Jacobson (Cortlandt Manor, NY) added 9. Staphanie Bova (Central Square, NY) added 2 aces.
Shelly Depina (New Bedford, MA) led Bridgewater State with 7 kills, 3 blocks, and 1 ace. Bries Cobb (New Bedford, MA) led the defense with 19 digs. Cobb and Julie Clerc (Acushnet, MA) each added an ace. Jennifer Shaw (Brockton, MA) guided the offense with 15 assists.
Match #6 -- 10/17, 4:00 p.m. -- New Paltz 3, Wellesley 0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-21)
New Paltz State finished the Wellesley Invitational with a perfect 4-0 record and extended its winning streak to 11 matches with a 3-0 sweep of Wellesley College this afternoon at Keohane Sports Center. The Hawks are now 21-5 on the season. Wellesley drops to 15-7.
New Paltz jumped to a commanding 15-5 lead in set one, scoring at will from every position while taking advantage of solid serving from Michelle Jacobson (Cortland Manor, NY) and Melinda DiGiovanna (West Hempstead, NY). Wellesley batteled back gradually trimming the lead to 24-19, but the Hawks held on for a 25-19 victory.
The squads traded sideouts through the middle of set two, until Jacobson's serving sparked a six-point run to give the visitors an 18-12 advantage. Wellesley trimmed the lead to 18-15 with kills from Alice Cummings (Tallahassee, FL) and Isabel Custodio (Powell, OH), but the Hawks continued to sideout regularly behind swings from Stephanie Skrobach (Webster, NY) and eeked out a 25-23 win for a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set three proved to be a sideout war, as neither team gained an advantage until back-to-back kills from DiGiovanna and Skrobach gave New Paltz a 16-13 edge. The Blue trimmed the lead to 19-18 on a kill from Elizabeth Campbell (Solona Beach, CA), but the Hawks answered with a three-point serving run from Dana Kindelmann (Nesconset, NY) and sealed the sweep with a 25-21 win.
Skrobach led New Paltz at the net, hammering 11 kills on just 16 attempts with no errors for a .688 hitting percentage. Brittany Coyle added 10 kills and DiGiovanna chipped in nine. DiGiovanna and Jacobson anchored the defense with 12 and 11 digs, respectively, while Stephanie Bova (Central Square, NY) distributed 34 assists in the win.
For the Blue, Cummings recorded 16 kills while Campbell added 12. Naomi Iwata (Seattle, WA) and Vivian Hu (Bellaire, TX) tallied 14 and 13 digs, respectively. Custodio and Victoria Peng (Diamond Bar, CA) shared setting responsibilities, combining for 36 assists.
Match #7 -- 10/17, 6:00 p.m. -- Bates 3, Bridgewater State (25-22, 25-15, 25-21)
In the closing match of the Wellesley Volleyball Invitational, Bates College swept Bridgewater State, 3-0. The win lifts Bates to 12-7. The Bears fall to 5-15.
Bridgewater opened the match with three straight points, but Bates replied with four to take an early lead. The teams traded sideouts until late in the game, when Bates won four of five rallies to take a 23-19 lead enroute to a 25-22 win.
Set two was a back-and-forth affair through the first half of the game, but Bates strung together four straight points to take a 15-12 lead. Two rotations later, Bates' Olivia Schow (Costa Mesa, CA) served seven straight points to finish the game at 25-15, giving the Bobcats a 2-0 lead in the match.
Bates took a 6-3 lead early in the third set, but the Bears' Jennifer Shaw (Brockton, MA) sparked a three-point run to tie the game at 10-10. Four rotations later, Brianne Cobb (New Bedford, MA) gave Bridgewater 19-16 lead with four straight points from the service line. Bates answered with four from Caroline Gattuso (North Reading, MA) to take a 20-19 advantage. The Bears snagged two more points before the Bobcats' Liz Leberman (Concord, NH) served out the set for a 25-21 win, sealing the sweep for Bates.
Shelly DePina (New Bedford, MA) led the Bears with nine kills and two blocks. Cobb tallied 11 digs, while Natalie Cohen (Marstons Mills, MA) dished out 11 assists. Kristina Campbell (Taunton, MA) led all players with five aces.
For Bates, Avery Masters led the attack with 10 kills, followed by Leberman with eight and Tess Dokus (Fairport, NY) with seven. Leberman also recorded 12 digs, while Schow talled five aces. Grace Haessler (Portland, OR) distributed 28 assists in the win.