WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Williams College Ephs defeated the Southern Vermont College Mountaineers 3-0 in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Division III Williamstown, Mass. Regional Women's Volleyball Tournament Friday evening.
The Ephs took the match with set scores of 25-7, 25-12, and 25-18. The Ephs' win raised their record to 26-4 this season, while lowering the Mountaineers' record to 12-9.
Williams started the first set strongly, leading 7-1 during Emily O'Day's (Los Angeles, Calif.) serving streak. An Eph service error gave SVC the serve, which was quickly won back by kills from Emily Doll (Villa Park, Calif.) and Raea Rasmussen (Amsterdam, Netherlands). A service ace by Amanda Schott (Niskayuna, N.Y.) and kills by Katherine Lane (La Jolla, Calif.) and Tori Jasuta (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) gave Williams a 13-2 lead, pressuring SVC to call the first time out. Long rallies ensued, terminated by Jasuta and Lane until the score reached 18-7. Another service ace by Lane and kills from Rasmussen and Lane won the Ephs their first set, 25-7.
The Ephs carried their momentum to the second set with Doll and Rasmussen scoring consecutive kills. SVC came back with a strategic dump by setter sophomore Sheilani Kaleopa (Riverside, Calif.), followed by a service ace from junior Jessica Delgado (Los Angeles. Calif.), tying up the early score 2-2. Williams quickly moved ahead, thanks to blocks and kills by Jasuta and Lane. Doll then served for several consecutive points until the Ephs had an error, setting the score at a comfortable 14-4. SVC pushed back, Delgado scoring points off kills and a block in attempts to counter Williams, and drove the score to 21-11 in favor of WC. Doll and Jasuta smashed the gym floor in response, winning the second set 25-12.
SVC fought back and started the third set hot with senior Carrie Baltazar (Whittier, Calif.) and junior Marissa Flores (Azusa, Calif.) battling Williams' Doll and Jasuta for kills, setting a tied score at 4-4. Alternating kills and errors, both teams slowly racked up points until the still-tied score reached 9-9. During Lane's serving streak, however, Williams broke ahead, thanks to kills by Lane, Rasmussen, and Claire Miller (Wilmette, Ill.) until the score reached 14-10, Williams. SVC's Delgado retaliated with her own serving streak, allowing freshman Brin Goldman (Christiansted, Virgin Islands) and Flores to gather kills. Following a few errors on SVC's court, the Mountaineers' head coach Deon Jones called their first time out, the score being 19-13, Williams. Again the teams traded kills and errors, but the Ephs pushed ahead, Doll putting the balls to the floor until the set ended at 25-18.
Williams will go on to play Springfield College during Saturday's 5 p.m. time slot in the Regional Semi-Finals.