Volleyball Falls to Oneonta & Western Connecticut at Springfield Invitational

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University volleyball team wrapped up play at the Springfield Invitational on Saturday. The Bears dropped a pair of decisions to Oneonta State and Western Connecticut State to finish 0-4 at the season-opening tournament.

Oneonta State 3, Bridgewater State 2 (25-16, 19-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-4)

Oneonta rallied from 2-1 deficit to post a 26-24 win in the fourth and a 15-4 decision in the fifth and deciding set.

Bridgewater was serving for the match leading 24-23 in the fourth set, but Jill Darpino and Melissa Voyer came up with a big block to even the score. After a BSU attacking error put the Red Dragons on top, Darpino and Lauren Pennino came up with another block to take the set, 26-24.

Oneonta tallied the first four points of the fifth and deciding set and were never threatened as the Red Dragons pulled out the 15-4 victory to win the match.

Darpino paced the Red Dragons with 14 kills and four assisted blocks, while Pennino added eight kills and four assisted blocks. Hannah O'Neil chipped in with nine kills and Jessica Pelaccio and Karly Greco combined for 49 assists. Oneonta recorded eight aces in the match, led by three from Allyson Coniglione,  but also finished with 14 serving errors.

The Bears were paced by sophomore middle hitter Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, Mass.) who finished with a match-high 19 kills as well as a .469 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Clara Goncalves (Dennis, Mass.) added ten kills and a .375 hitting percentage, while junior outside hitter Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I.) notched 13 kills.

BSU junior setter Charleyne Panner (Gilford, N.H.) led all players with 36 assists to go along with nine digs. Bridgewater tallied seven aces, with Panner and junior defensive specialist Samantha Fasoli (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) recording three apiece, but also made 11 serving errors.

Western Connecticut State 3, Bridgewater State 0 (26-24, 25-17, 25-19)

Panner paced the Bears with 23 assists, an ace and nine digs in the setback to Western Connecticut. Maymon finished with a match-best 11 kills to go along with an ace and eight digs, while freshman libero Cassidy Tyros (Chelmsford, Mass.) recorded a match-high 12 digs.

Neither team was very effective on the attack. The Colonials finished with a .131 hitting percentage, while the Bears nearly made as many attacking errors (28) as kills (29). Western Connecticut notched 17 team blocks in the match.

Danielle Kaminsky led the way for the Colonials with 30 assists, three kills, six digs and four assisted blocks. Karissa Smith tallied ten kills, while Cheyene Orsi added seven.

Notes: Bennett was named to the All-Tournament Team as she racked up 38 kills, six aces and eight blocks (two solo)....The Bears will take on Suffolk University in their home opener on Thursday evening at six from the Tinsley Center.