BRISTOL, R.I. – Regis College won three sets in a row in both matches Saturday at the RWU Invitational, sweeping Wellesley College, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22), before rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat host Roger Williams University, 3-2 (20-25, 20-25, 25-21, 26-24, 15-6).
Regis 3, Roger Williams 2
Kamdyn Tenorio (Irvine, Calif.) notched a double-double with a team-high 17 kills along with 15 digs, as did Ahnasia Mckinney (Chelmsford, Mass.) with 43 assists and 11 digs and Avery Mola (Cheshire, Conn.) with 10 kills and 14 digs. Rita Dow (Nashua, N.H.) finished with 11 kills, and Emily Hart (Meriden, Conn.) paced the Pride backline with 19 defensive digs.
After winning the first two sets, Roger Williams threatened to complete the sweep, tying the third set at 21-21 before Regis won the final four points on a kill by Mckinney, a block by Mckinney and Dow, a kill from Mola, and a service ace by Tenorio.
The Pride went ahead early in the fourth set and was on top 22-16 before the Hawks rattled off six straight points, including two kills from Kaylee Jackson. After a kill by Jillian Smith pulled the home team into another tie at 24-24, Regis took the next two points on Hawk errors to force the deciding fifth set.
Regis opened a 9-2 advantage in the fifth set and never looked back, rattling off the final five points of the match, featuring two service aces from Dow and the match-clinching kill from Mola.
Regis 3, Wellesley 0
Tenorio again led the Pride with nine kills and four service aces, plus she collected 13 digs, while Dow earned eight kills and Lauren Tuttle (Stratham, N.H.) contributed seven kills. Mckinney nearly posted a double-double with 31 assists and nine digs, and Hart paced the defensive effort with 19 digs.
Wellesley took an early 7-3 lead in the first set, but Regis stayed within striking and eventually pulled ahead late in the set. The Blue opened a 7-2 lead in the second set, but again the Pride battled back thanks in part to a 13-3 scoring run.
The Pride took control of the third set with an 8-1 scoring run, and then withstood a Wellesley rally by scoring the final four points of the match, capped by two kills from Tenorio.
Regis College (2-1) opens its home schedule Tuesday, Sept. 5, against WPI starting at 7:30 p.m.