NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Regis College opened its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) schedule with a 3-0 victory over Norwich University, followed by a 3-1 win over MCLA during a collegiate volleyball tri-match Saturday hosted by the Cadets at Andrews Hall.
REGIS 3, NORWICH 0 (25-15, 25-9, 25-23)
Ahnasia Mckinney (Chelmsford, Mass.) led the Pride with nine kills, 12 assists, and four service aces in just two sets, while Grace Fabiano (Greenland, N.H.) also earned nine kills in two sets and Kate Montigny (Shrewsbury, Mass.) finished 8-for-11 on attack attempts without an error for a .727 hitting percentage. Defensively, Kamdyn Tenorio (Irvine, Calif.) led all players with 19 digs.
Mckinney earned two kills as Regis won the first three points of the match, but Norwich stayed close early in the first set, pulling to within two points at 8-6 on a kill by Bella Belldina Ray. The Pride put together an 8-2 scoring run to increase their lead to 16-8, with the visitors eventually clinching the opening set on kills by Fabiano and Mckinney.
Norwich (1-6, 0-1 GNAC) scored the first point of the second set, but Regis quickly rattled off eight straight points, led by three service aces by Mckinney and two kills apiece from Fabiano and Bella Karpicz (Berkley, Mass.). The Pride continued to extend their advantage throughout the set, winning the final three points thanks to a kill and a service ace from Mckinney as well as a kill by Fabiano.
In the third set, consecutive service aces by Ayla Albers (San Diego, Calif.) gave the Pride a 6-3 lead before the Cadets went on an 8-1 scoring run to pull ahead, 11-7. Down 14-10 after a kill by Charlotte Johnson, Regis put together an 8-2 scoring run, led by three kills from Montigny and two kills by Kate Julian (Mendon, Mass.), but a kill by Belldina Ray allowed Norwich to retake the lead at 20-19. The Pride closed out the set and the match with a 6-3 scoring run, capped by another kill from Montigny.
Belldina Ray led the Cadets with seven kills on a .500 hitting percentage, while Katie Finn paced the Norwich backline with eight defensive digs.
REGIS 3, MCLA 1 (25-15, 18-25, 25-16, 25-15)
Avery Mola (Cheshire, Conn.) led the Pride with 13 kills along with nine digs, while Albers finished with 10 kills and eight digs. Mckinney ended up with 23 assists, nine kills, and five service aces, Montigny contributed eight kills in the match, and Tenorio paced the Regis backline with 28 defensive digs along with three service aces.
The Pride fell behind in the first set 4-1 before scoring seven of the next eight points to pull ahead, 8-5. After MCLA tied the set at 9-9, Regis went on a 14-4 scoring stretch to take control of the opening set, eventually clinching it on consecutive MCLA errors.
MCLA (0-7) gained control early in the second set and never relinquished the momentum despite a 9-3 scoring run by the Pride late in the set. The Trailblazers closed out the second set and tied the match at one set apiece on a kill by Caroline Schmaling and a service ace from Ezmeralda Albright.
Regis opened the third set with three straight points before MCLA answered with its own 3-0 run, but the Pride would quickly gain control of the set thanks to a 13-4 scoring run, led by four kills from Mola. The Trailblazers attempted to rally, but they would eventually lose the third set on a service error.
Mckinney scored Regis' first two points of the fourth set on a kill and a service ace as the Pride eventually increased their lead to 11-6. The Trailblazers scored three straight points, capped by a service ace from Elizabeth Brown, to close to within two points, but Regis quickly responded with a 9-2 scoring run. The Pride closed out the set and the match with a 5-1 scoring run, punctuated by kills from Albers and Mckinney.
Borwn finished with eight kills and eight digs, while Audrey Melson collected seven kills and Chloie Garber added six kills and eight digs. Addison Decaro dished out 15 assists, and Albright paced the Trailblazers with 15 defensive digs.
Regis College (8-3, 1-0 GNAC) concludes a stretch of seven straight matches away from home Tuesday, Sept. 17, at WPI starting at 6 p.m. The Pride host Elms and New England College in a GNAC tri-match next Saturday, Sept. 21, beginning at 11 a.m.