Lent Sets Program Digs Record as Volleyball Holds Off Elms
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell (5-10,1-3) | 25 | 25 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 3 |
|
Elms (2-15,1-4) | 10 | 19 | 25 | 25 | 16 | 2 |
CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team held off a late charge by Elms College on Wednesday night, outlasting the Blazers 3-2 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match at Picknelly Arena.
The Mariners looked to be rolling early, taking the opening set 25-10, before jumping ahead 2-0 by winning the second set 25-19. With their backs against the ropes, Elms responded by downing the Mariners 25-14 in the third set and 25-17 in the fourth set. A dramatic fifth set followed, which featured six ties, but the Mariners eventually prevailed by a score of 18-16, securing their second conference win of the season.
Junior Julia Lent (Miller Place, N.Y.) finished with a career-high 38 digs for the Mariners, moving the libero into first place for digs in the Division III era of the Mitchell women's volleyball program. With 1,001 digs and counting, Lent surpassed Kaisea Caramante, who tallied 997 for the Mariners between 2012-2015.
Freshman Genna Hyde (Cypress, TX) led the Mariners with a match-high 13 kills, while also adding a collegiate career-high 24 digs and five service aces. Senior Allison Blum (Garden Grove, Cali.) racked up nine kills and 16 digs, freshman Molly Wordell (East Haddam, Conn.) had 12 kills, and senior Crystal Gangi (New Fairfield, Conn.) handed out 22 assists. Senior Brooke Taylor (Montville, Conn.) chipped in 15 assists in the win for the Mariners, who snapped a three-game losing skid with the win.
With the score tied at two sets apiece, Elms opened the fifth set by scoring the first three points, before the Mariners knotted the score at 4-4 on a kill by Genna Hyde. Shortly after, the Mariners went on a 4-0 run to pull ahead 9-5, but the Blazers continued to battle and drew the score even at 13 all on a kill from Francesca Dirienzo. The two teams then traded points until the set was tied up at 16-16, and after Elms committed an attack error, Hyde fired home the set sealing kill to give Mitchell the victory.
Dirienzo and Angelica Marks were credited with 12 kills apiece for Elms, while Alejandra Marin finished with 38 digs, and Jaylen Holman had 41 digs.
The Mariners (6-10, 2-3 GNAC) will return home to face Dean College in a GNAC match on Saturday, October 12, at 1:00 pm. The Blazers (2-16, 1-6 GNAC) host Saint Joseph's College (ME) on Tuesday, October 15, in their next match.
