Volleyball Falls to UNE and Bates

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State junior Emma Nihill (Chandler, Ariz.) led the Owls in kills in both matches as the Owls dropped a pair of games against University of New England (25-18, 25-17, 25-23) and Bates College on Saturday afternoon from Biddeford, Maine.

The Owls move to 4-9 on the season with both losses coming in the non-conference slate of games.

Game 1 vs University of New England

Emma Nihill tied the game-high mark in kills with 12. Sydney Cummins (Nicholasville, Ky.) finished with six kills and a team-leading 11 digs. Morgan Dority (Walpole, Mass.) compiled 14 assists.

The Owls dug themselves in an early five-point hole with the Nor'easters scoring the first five points of the opening set. An UNE attack error trimmed the deficit to three points later in the frame, but seven consecutive points followed from UNE to put the first set out of reach.

After falling behind in the middle of the second set and eventually losing the frame, the Owls built up a four-point lead in set number three at 19-15 after a Julia Bartiet (Cheshire, Conn.) kill. After leading 20-16, the Nor'easters had one final scoring burst to close the game, piling up nine of the final 12 points to sweep the Owls.

Game 2 vs Bates College

Emma Nihill led the Owls with seven kills followed by Sarah Bingham (Reno, Nev.) with five. Dority added nine assists while Julia Dangel-Garcia supplied eight helpers and tied Hill for the team-lead with seven digs. Bingham racked up seven total blocks as the Owls piled up 16 total blocks against the Bobcats.

Behind 15-9 in set one, Westfield piled up seven of the next eight points to tie the set which included a service ace from Allie Hill (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) and a kill from Cummins. Both teams exchanged the lead with Emma Nihill logging consecutive kills followed by a Bates attacking error which gave the Owls a 21-20 advantage.

However, the Bobcats would score four straight to force a set point. After another kill from Emma Nihill, Bates sealed the set one win on a kill from Sofia Castiglioni.

The Owls battled in the second frame after a pair of attacking errors from Bates trimmed the deficit to two points at 16-14. Another substantial momentum swing ensued late in the set as the Bobcats would go on to tally nine of the next 11 points to take a commanding 2-0 lead where they would go on to win the third set.

Westfield State will face MASCAC foe MCLA in their next match on the road Tuesday at 6:00 P.M.