Owls Broom Nichols and SUNY Delhi in Tri-Match

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Morgan Dority (Walpole, Mass.) distributed 36 assists and three Westfield State players notched double figure kills in the Owls five set win over Nichols, then Nathalya Felix (Springfield, Mass.) tied the team lead in kills and led in assists and digs to complete the sweep over SUNY-Delhi in the second match on Saturday.

The Owls dominated the fifth set to defeat the Bison (23-25, 25-15, 25-17, 17-25, 15-5) then took all three sets from the Broncos (25-23, 25-18, 25-22) to record their third and fourth consecutive victories of the season.

GAME ONE VS NICHOLS

Emily Washkalavitch (Oxford, Pa.) tied her season and career high mark in kills with 18 to lead all players in the match. Hanna Nihill (Chandler, Ariz.) recorded 13 kills and Lauren Carnes (Westfield, Mass.) added ten kills. Erica Majka (Agawam, Mass.) tallied 21 digs in a match that saw Westfield dig out 88 attacks from the Bison, a season high.

After dropping a close opening set, the Owls responded with two consecutive set victories, using a six point stretch to pull away midway through the second frame. A kill from Carnes moved Westfield to set point where an attacking error from the Bison tied the match.

In the second set, with Westfield in front 5-4, back-to-back blocks from Dority kickstarted a run of nine points in a ten point span, extending the lead to eight points. The Bison would trim the gap to three points, but another strong run of six consecutive points gave the Owls a 24-15 lead. Nihill killed home the winner, taking a two sets to one lead.

A Bison block broke an 8-8 tie as Nichols would hold the lead for the remainder of set four, sending the match into a decisive fifth set.

Westfield responded emphatically in the final frame with bookend kills from Washkalavitch in the first eight points of the set which would open a 7-1 lead. After three straight points for Nichols, a key block from Mary Heneghan (Round Rock, Texas) and Washkalavitch halted the comeback attempt as the Owls would go on to score eight of the final nine points of the match to seal the win.

GAME TWO VS SUNY-DELHI

Felix displayed her versatility for Westfield in match two against the Broncos, tying for the team lead with five kills while recording team highs in assists (12) and digs (11). Isabelle McElhiney (North Andover, Mass.) also recorded five kills. Siobhan Meyer (Farmingville, N.Y.) was a presence at the net, tallying two solo blocks and three block assists.

The Owls raced out to an early lead, then held onto the advantage for the entirety of the set, leading 24-20. The Broncos tried to swoop into the set late, scoring three straight points, but a service error propelled Westfield to a set one win.

SUNY-Delhi got out in front early in set two, leading 10-4 before the Owls rallied for seven of the next eight points to tie the set, capped by a kill from Felix.

The set went back and forth with several ties and lead changes, with the frame knotted up at 18 each. Westfield would hold the Broncos scoreless for the remainder of the set, scoring seven in a row on the service game of Kassandra Littlefield (Southampton, Mass.) who had two aces in the spurt. Alanys Diaz (Springfield, Mass.) gave the Owls a commanding lead in the match with a kill to complete the set.

Westfield would then score the first five points of set three, marking a string of 13 consecutive points spanning from the end of set two into the start of the third. The five point cushion would be enough to hold off the Broncos for the entirety of the set, locking up the match sweep.

Westfield State (5-7) carries a four-game winning streak into a midweek conference match at Fitchburg State to begin the MASCAC slate on Wednesday at 6:00 P.M.