Owls Fall to Amherst

WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State volleyball team fell in straight sets to Amherst College (25-10, 25-18, 25-17) on Wednesday night from Le Frak Gymnasium in Amherst, Mass. The Owls drop to 1-3 on the season with Amherst improving to 1-0 in their season opener.

Owls setter Julia Dangel-Garcia (Ashland, Mass.) started the match with consecutive service aces to get Westfield off to a quick start. With the Owls trailing by a point early in the set, Amherst gained separation through the service game of Sam Underwood (Los Angeles, Calif.) who rallied off six-straight points to put the Mammoths up 12-4. A mini run by Westfield including a kill from Michaela O'Connor (Shrewsbury, Mass.) trimmed the deficit to back down to five. Amherst controlled the remainder of the set however, scoring 11 of the final 13 points to take the first set.

Westfield kept the first half of the second set close with a Sarah Bingham (Reno, Nev.) block putting the Owls down two, 13-11. The Mammoths were able to distance themselves midway through with the longest run of the set from both sides, scoring five consecutive points to put Amherst up 18-11. The Owls would cut the Mammoth lead back to five, but were unable to get any closer.

The third set followed a similar pattern as the second with the Owls keeping the set closely contested, before another five-point Amherst run set Westfield back. However, the Owls continued to fight back into the set as a Mammoths attacking error on the service game of Bingham trimmed the Owls deficit to just three. Amherst would have one final answer to wrap up the set, rallying off six of the final seven points to sweep the match.

The Owls had a balanced attack offensively with Julia Bartiet (Cheshire, Conn.) leading the way with four kills. Six different Owls recorded kills in the match with O'Connor and Shawna Crowley (Billerica, Mass.) registering three kills each. Dangel-Garcia collected a game-high four service aces while also supplying five assists. Allie Hill (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) totaled a team-leading eight digs.

Amherst first-year Alexandra Trofort (Stamford, Conn.) and sophomore Anaya Thomas (Montgomery, Ala.) each had a game-high eight kills as the Mammoths collected 35 kills on the evening.  

Westfield State will have a quick turnaround as the Owls travel to Elms College in a match-up with the Blazers tomorrow at 7:00 P.M.