Weston, Mass.-Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Rhode Island College started the annual Regis College Pride Invitational Volleyball Tournament with wins Saturday morning. WPI would defeat Regis College 3-0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-23). Rhode Island College defeated Salem State 3-0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-15).
Regis College vs. WPI
Led by freshman Kerrin Beovich (Seaford, NY), WPI dominated much of the scoring in its match with Regis College. WPI's Elyssa Dorenfield (Reading, Mass.), Becca Holmberg (Madison, Conn.), Becca Mattern (Vernon, Conn.), and Bailey Sarber (Westerly, RI) were all major contributors in the match.
Dorenfield and Holmberg issued continuous attacks to the Regis defense. Beovich and Mattern held the Pride's Lauren Ross (Dracut, Mass.) and Domingas Gomes (Brockton, Mass.) from scoring off of their attacks.
WPI and Regis return to the court at 11:00 am to face Norwich University and St. Joe's of Maine respectively
Rhode Island College vs. Salem State College
Rhode Island left very little room for the Vikings to take control during the match. Seniors Kristen Johnson (East Providence, RI) and Sharon Corriveau (Conventry, RI) were a tag team of Johnson's ability to keep Salem State from scoring off its attacks, and Corriveau was repetitive of her assault on the Vikings defense.
Salem State would not allow for much more when sophomores Rachel Murphy (Wallingford, Conn.) and Jazmin Barrows (New Bedford, Mass.) teamed together to strike against the Anchormen's.
Rhode Island made very few mistakes, and junior April Oberhelman (Woonsocket, RI) continued with relentless hustle while in the game.
The Anchormen defeated Worcester State College 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-21) during the 9:00 am match.
Rhode Island College vs. Worcester State College
The Lancers made a strong showing, keeping the games within an average of five points. Led by senior Lauren Saylor (Swansea, Mass.) and Kate O'Rourke (Milford, Mass.) at the outside hitter positions, the Lancers kept the Rhode Island defense on its toes.
Michelle Maass (Halifax, Mass.) played well at the liberio position.
Salem State College defeated St. Joe's of Maine 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-13) during the same time.
Salem State returns to the court at 1:30 pm to face WPI.
Pride Invitational Day 1 Second Half
Worcester State vs. St. Joe's
Worcester State would defeat the Monks 3- (22-25, 25-19, 25-19, 24-26, 15-12)). Saylor again made an impression serving as the Lancers outside-hitter.
St. Joe's opened with a victory against the Lancers, but the success would be short-lived. Worcester State would take consecutive victories before the Monks would force a fifth game with a 26-24 victory in game four.
The Lancers would win by a small margin of just three points in game five, defeating St. Joe's 15-12.
Regis College vs. Rhode Island College
Having gone undefeated in day one, Rhode Island College would be taken four games with the Pride. The Cadets would defeat Regis College 3-1.
Regis would not pick up a match victory in day one. Freshman Breanna Boyer (West Greenwich, RI) would make an impressive showing delivering repeated kills into a battered defense.
Junior Meghan McCarty (Billerica, Mass.) would return for the Pride's third match after having suffered an injury in the match prior.
Both teams return to the court Sunday morning, Rhode Island College at 9 am, Regis starts its day at 8 am.
Norwich University vs. St. Joe's College
St. Joe's would forfeit its final game of the day to the Cadets. Both teams return to the court Sunday at 9 am.