Volleyball Eliminated from GNAC Tourney by Monks

WESTON, Mass. - Regis College got off to a strong start, but Saint Joseph's College improved both offensively and defensively during the match as the sixth-seeded Monks upset the third-seeded Pride, 3-1 (15-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23), in a quarterfinal match of the 2024 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Volleyball Tournament Tuesday night at Higgins Court.

Kamdyn Tenorio (Irvine, Calif.) broke the Regis career record for matches played with her 129^th appearance and notched a double-double with 14 kills and 15 digs, leading the team in both categories. Ahnasia Mckinney (Chelmsford, Mass.) paced the Pride with 19 assists and four service aces to go along with six kills and six digs, Alexandra Rivera (Bristol, Conn.) finished with 17 assists, three service aces, and six digs, and Avery Mola (Cheshire, Conn.) contributed nine kills, three assists, three service aces, and nine digs.

The first set was close as the Monks stayed with the Pride, closing to within one point at 9-8 on a kill by Greta Mackintosh, but Regis responded with a 7-2 scoring run, capped by a kill from Lauren Tuttle (Stratham, N.H.). After two straight points for Saint Joseph's College, the Pride put together a 9-3 scoring run to close out the opening set, punctuated by two kills from Mola and a service ace by Mckinney.

The Monks started using their defense at the net in the second set, earning four blocks as they pulled out to an 11-5 lead. Down 16-8 after a kill by Larisa Comolli, Regis battled back, eventually tying the set at 21-21 on kills by Tenorio and Kate Montigny (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Saint Joseph's College recovered to take four of the final six points of the set, led by two kills from Kylie Giakoumis.

The Pride scored five straight points early in the third set, capped by a kill from Tenorio, to open an 8-4 advantage, but the Monks put together their own 8-3 scoring run, punctuated by consecutive kills from Victoria Briones, to pull ahead, 12-11. Regis responded with six unanswered points, but the momentum quickly went back to the side of Saint Joseph's College thanks to a 13-3 run to close out the third set, including three more blocks as well as a service ace by Tamya Johnson.

Saint Joseph's College took a 7-2 lead early in the fourth set and then used a 9-3 scoring run to extend that advantage into double figures at 18-8. Led by Mckinney with a kill and two service aces as well as Mola with two kills, Regis scored the next six points before the Monks rattled off three quick points on kills by Mackintosh, Comolli, and Maggie Sylvester.

Regis put together a 9-2 scoring run, starting with a kill and a service ace by Mola and featuring three kills from Tenorio. With the score tied at 23-23 and the crowd at its loudest, the Monks brought about match point thanks to a kill by Briones, and Regis could not execute its offense in an attempt to extend the contest.

Briones led the Monks with nine kills and 12 digs, while Mackintosh also finished with nine kills. Sylvester ended up with eight kills, four digs, and five block assists, and Comolli contributed eight kills on a .353 hitting percentage along with two service aces and four block assists. Regan Noonan led her team with six total blocks, and Sabrina Arcilla kept her team in several points with 11 defensive digs.

Saint Joseph's College (15-16) advances to the semifinals where it will face second seed Johnson and Wales in Providence, R.I., Thursday, Nov. 14, starting at 7 p.m.

Regis College sees its 2024 season end with a 22-9 overall record, completing its fourth straight season with 20 or more victories for the first time in program history.