NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Southern Vermont College was downed 3-0 at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Friday evening in non-conference women's volleyball action at Amsler CC Gymnasium.
The hosting Trailblazers took the night with straight-set wins of 25-15, 25-16, and 25-19.
The Mountaineers (3-10) are next in action with their official home opener on Wednesday, hosting Castleton State University for a 7 p.m. contest which will serve as SVC's final match before starting New England Collegiate Conference play.
With the win, the Trailblazers now own a slim 4-3 edge in the all-time series between the two sides.
Southern Vermont freshman Sarah Billow (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) led the team with a match-high 10 kills, adding six digs to her line. Senior captain Brin Goldman (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) followed with seven kills, 11 digs and four assists while Bennington College freshman Gaby Oropeza (Riverside, Calif.) notched a night-best 15 digs.
SVC freshman Tay Phillips (Stephentown, N.Y.) tied Oropeza's mark of 15 digs as sophomore Lizzy Bench (St. Petersburg, Fla.) registered 12 digs, three assists and a service ace. Junior Julia Florence (Salem, Mass.) had a team-best five assists in the effort.
A kill by Billow made it a 5-3 edge for MCLA in the first, but an 8-1 Trailblazer run gave the hosts a comfortable advantage. Points went back-and-forth through the end of the frame as the hosts inched towards the game victory, eventually closing it out with a final kill for the 25-15 final.
The Trailblazers used three-straight service aces to start the second with a 5-0 lead. Southern Vermont would come back to go ahead, however, taking six of seven to go in front by a 9-8 margin. MCLA answered with four straight to go back on top, and the hosts never trailed the rest of the game. Another three-straight aces gave the Trailblazers a 17-10 advantage, and a pair of kills put it away for MCLA.
After the hosting squad took another quick lead in the start of the third set, SVC climbed back and made it a 9-7 Trailblazer lead on a Billow kill. A pair of MCLA miscues made it a 15-13 edge for the Trailblazers, and Southern Vermont then rallied for three straight behind a pair of Billow kills to even the frame at 17-17. Goldman landed a kill to put the Mountaineers on top 19-18, but MCLA would subsequently run off seven-straight points to close out the sweep.
– #LetsGoSVC –