NEWTON, Mass. - Regis College rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat host Lasell University, 3-2, and then maintained that momentum to sweep Saint Joseph's College, 3-0, Saturday as part of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference tri-match at the Lasell Athletic Center.
REGIS 3, LASELL 2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 15-7)
Rita Dow (Nashua, N.H.) led the Pride with 11 kills and four total blocks, while Kamdyn Tenorio (Irvine, Calif.) notched a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Ahnasia Mckinney (Chelmsford, Mass.) finished with nine kills, 19 assists, two service aces, and four total blocks, and Kaitlyn Miller (Nottingham, N.H.) contributed 13 assists, a team-high five service aces, and seven digs.
After losing two close sets, the Pride scored eight straight points early in the third set, led by Dow with two kills and Miller with two aces, to open a six-point advantage. The Lasers closed to within two points later in the set, but Regis held off Lasell's comeback, eventually clinching the set on a kill by Mckinney.
Starting with consecutive service aces by Sydney Katz, Lasell opened a 13-4 lead in the fourth set before Regis rattled off six unanswered points, led by Mckinney with two kills and a block assist. Down 20-14 after a block by Madalyn Scully and Tori Scambray, the Pride put together an 11-2 scoring run to close out the set, capped by a kill from Mckinney.
After the teams split the first four points, the Pride scored six straight points to open an 8-2 advantage. The Lasers closed to within three points twice, but Regis finished the set and the match with five unanswered points, including kills by Mckinney and Tenorio as well as a block by Mckinney and Kate Montigny (Shrewsbury, Mass.).
REGIS 3, SAINT JOSEPH'S COLLEGE 0 (25-16, 25-14, 25-20)
Mckinney led the Pride with six kills, 11 assists, four digs, and three total blocks, while Tenorio finished with five kills, a team-high three service aces, and four digs. At the net, Montigny earned three total blocks, and Miller collected eight assists and seven digs.
The first half of the opening set was close until Regis scored six unanswered points to open a seven-point advantage at 17-10. The Pride maintained that lead throughout the rest of the set, eventually clinching it on a kill by Mckinney.
In the second set, the Pride was able to open a 13-5 lead on a block by Mckinney and Montigny as well as two aces by Dow. Later in the set, Regis put together a 6-1 scoring run before the Monks fought back with a 4-1 scoring run. The Pride finally closed out the second set on a service error by the Monks.
Saint Joseph's College took a 5-2 lead early in the third set before a pair of blocks by the Pride, both involving Valerie Whalen (Stoughton, Mass.) knotted the set at 5-5. Down 16-14, Regis went on an 8-1 scoring run, capped by a solo block by Mckinney and a kill by Olivia Pacheco (Waterford, Conn.), to pull ahead, 22-17. The teams exchanged the final six points, with Regis clinching the set and the match on kills by Mckinney, Tenorio, and Samantha Silveira (East Taunton, Mass.).
Regis (13-9, 5-2 GNAC) returns home for a key week of conference matches, starting Tuesday, Oct. 11, against Colby-Sawyer starting at 7 p.m. The Pride will host a GNAC tri-match next Saturday, Oct. 15, facing Rivier at 10 a.m. and Elms at 2 p.m.