NASHUA, N.H. – Daniel Webster College rallied back from a 2-0 deficit in the match to rattle off three-straight set victories to defeat Regis College, 3-2, in a New England Collegiate Conference matchup Saturday at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.
Rookie Madeline Roulier (Pittsfield, Mass.) notched a season and young-career high of 16 kills and added 15 digs while fellow freshman Samantha Betts (Rancho Cucamonga, Cal.) added 10 kills and a career-high 24 digs as the Eagles scored an improbable 12-25, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-11 victory.
DWC improved to 6-8 overall (3-1 NECC) while Regis dropped to 9-17 overall (2-2 NECC).
Sam Bliss (Framingham, Mass.) racked up 15 kills and 18 digs to pace the visitors, while Kristina del Ray (Miami, Fla.) was superb, notching 13 kills with no errors to hit .542. Marilia Ramos (Chimbote, Peru) dished off 38 assists and pulled in 14 digs. Libero Sara Gold (North Hollywood, Calif.) sparkled with a match-best 31 digs against just two receiving errors.
Ally Hayden (Bedford, N.H.) handed out 24 assists for the Eagles, adding 16 digs. Maggie Belli (Miami, Fla.) chipped in with 16 digs. Sarah Durocher (Keene, N.H.) added four kills, three aces and seven digs and Christina Matos (Tampa, Fla.) had four kills and two solo blocks.
DWC rallied despite two of its worst individual sets of the season over the opening two frames, managing a paltry three kills with 10 errors in the opener to hit -.212, and hit just .086 in the second.
Regis, meanwhile, sizzled in the openers, hitting .250 in each as Bliss knocked down six kills in set one and del Ray added four in the second.
The Eagles began to turn things around in the third. While Bliss knocked down another five kills, Roulier started heating up with four and Betts matched that total. DWC would hit .278 while Regis averaged .194. Having also held just two leads (1-0 and 2-1) in the opening set and none in the second, DWC never trailed after pushing ahead 4-3 early in the third and would open up a five-point advantage after a Betts kill made it 17-12. The Eagles never let Regis closer than three and closed it on a Roulier ace and another Betts kill.
DWC forced the fifth set despite both teams struggling offensively in the fourth, finishing with just eight kills apiece with Roulier (5-0-20) accounting for the bulk of DWC's share.
Regis looked to take control after three straight unforced Eagle errors gave the Pride a 21-17 lead, but after two Regis errors and two traded kills, DWC pulled within one at 21-20.
Down 22-20, Roulier notched her fifth kill of the set and the Eagles tied it on an unforced error.
A Bree Cosgrove (Raymond, N.H.) kill regained the Eagle lead (23-22) and after del Ray tied it, two Pride errors gave DWC the 25-23 win.
The teams staged six ties and three lead changes in the fifth. Trailing 7-6, Roulier tied it with a kill and added her third of the set for a 9-7 lead. A Vanessa Noesi (Puerta Plata, D.R.) kill closed the gap to 10-9 for Regis, but kills from Betts and Matos pushed the lead to 13-10 and Hayden would later finish it off with a fake set that dropped in for only her second kill of the night and the 15-11 final.
The Eagles return to action on Tuesday when they visit Elms for a NECC contest beginning at 6:00 p.m., while the Pride host NECC foe Becker on Tuesday beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Release courtesy of Daniel Webster College Sports Information