Nihill Racks up 13 Kills, Owls Split Home Tri-Match

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Hanna Nihill (Chandler, Ariz.) and Lauren Carnes (Westfield, Mass.) combined for 25 Owls kills as part of a sweep over University of New England as Westfield split a home tri-match against the Nor'easters and Eastern Connecticut from the Woodward Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Owls took the final match of the day with a three-set win over the Nor'easters (26-24, 25-18, 25-23) after falling in four sets to the Warriors (21-25, 25-22, 24-26, 19-25) in the first match of the day. The Warriors took the middle game in five sets over New England.

GAME TWO VS. UNE

Westfield started set one strong with six of seven and nine of the first 11 points with a kill from Mary Heneghan (Round Rock, Texas) giving the Owls a 9-2 lead. The Nor'easters cut the Owls lead to three midway through the frame, but a UNE service ace followed by an attacking error then a Morgan Dority (Walpole, Mass.) block pushed Westfield back up by six points at 20-14.

New England threatened to steal the set late, scoring nine of the next ten points out of a timeout to tie the set. A service error from the Owls drew the Nor'easters to set point before the Owls dug in with a clutch kill from Emily Washkalavitch (Oxford, Pa.) to tie it at 24. A pair of attacking errors from UNE secured a set one win for the Owls.

A ferocious late second set run distanced the Owls and gave them a commanding two sets to none advantage with Carnes delivering three kills in a four-point span to cap nine point scoring run for Westfield.

Neither team led by more than five points in the third set with the Owls using consecutive kills from Nihill and Washkalavitch to put Westfield at match point. UNE would not go down quietly, scoring three in a row to trim the deficit to one point at 24-23. After an Owls timeout, Shaneidy Hernandez (Springfield, Mass.) and Nihill combined for a block at the net to send Westfield home with a win.

Dority led all players with 29 assists while Erica Majka (Agawam, Mass.) and Zurielys Rivera (Caguas, Puerto Rico) each posted double digit digs.

GAME ONE VS. EASTERN CONNECTICUT

Westfield maintained the lead for the majority of set one versus the Warriors, leading 20-17 and charging towards an opening frame win. Despite controlling the set, Eastern Connecticut used a late six-point burst to rally from behind to take a three point lead (23-20). After a bad set from the Warriors, two kills from Sierra York and Addison Soleau finished the set.

Roles reversed in set two with Eastern holding a 20-15 lead, seeking a two set lead. Heneghan jumpstarted an eventual run with a kill, then later in the set, Carnes registered a kill to tie the set. Dority put the Owls in front with a kill, punctuating a six-point run.

Emma Robinson temporarily stalled the Westfield push with a kill, but four of the final five points went in favor of the Owls as Hernandez pounded home the winner to even the match at one set apiece.

The third set went down to the wire with the visitors leading with the exact same score of 20-15 as they did in set two. Once again, Westfield seized momentum with six consecutive points to pull in front 21-20 thanks to a Washkalavitch kill.

Later in the set, Dority set up Carnes for a kill to put Westfield at set point, but Eastern refused to wilt, fending off two set points and scoring the next two to swipe the third set.

Seven of the final eight points of the match went to the Warriors in the fourth frame to give Eastern their sixth win of the season.

Washkalavitch led the team with 13 kills followed by Carnes with 12. Dority contributed 31 assists and 14 digs while Majka added 15 digs.

Westfield State (2-7) will be back home on Wednesday to take on Western New England at 6:00 P.M.