Volleyball Sweeps Mass. Maritime, 3-0

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University volleyball team posted a 3-0 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over visiting Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Wednesday evening at the Tinsley Center. The Bears won by set scores of 25-3, 25-23 and 25-15.

The Bears improve to 9-12 on the season and 4-2 in the MASCAC, while the Buccaneers falls to 2-17 overall and 0-6 in conference play.

Junior outside hitter Abigail Gardner (Holden, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with a match-high 12 kills to go along with 12 digs and a pair of aces, while junior setter Casey Holmes (Norton, Mass.) checked in with 26 assists, 12 digs and a match-best six aces. Junior outside hitter Gabryella Serrano (Bridgewater, Mass.) added three kills, 15 digs and two aces for the Bears, and freshman libero Victoria Caiano (New Bedford, Mass.) contributed 12 digs, three assists and two aces.

Bridgewater State dominated play in the opening set as the Bears recorded a .421 hitting percentage, notched six aces and held the Buccaneers to just two kills and a negative hitting percentage (-.200). Sophomore right side hitter Becca Whalen (Plymouth, Mass.) tallied four kills, and Caiano and Holmes registered two aces apiece in the opener.

The second set was a different story as it featured eight ties. With the set knotted at 23-23, a Whalen kill and a Maritime error secured the win for the Bears. Gardner notched five kills and an ace in the frame, while Holmes posted two more aces. Bridgewater State committed 13 errors in the set.

The Bears led from start to finish in the third stanza as Gardner led the way with five kills and an ace. Bridgewater State recorded 12 kills in the set with Serrano, senior middle blocker Shannon Grindle (Halifax, Mass.) and junior middle hitter Sydney Rice (Medway, Mass.) adding two kills apiece.

Senior libero Tina Ruggeri (Bourne, Mass.) led the way for Mass. Maritime with a match-high 23 digs to go along with two assists, an ace and a kill. Senior hitter Michelle Sheehan (Attleboro, Mass.) added five kills for the Buccaneers, while junior setter Madison Coughlin (Monroe, Conn.) dished out 12 assists.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday afternoon. The Bears travel to Babson College for a three o'clock tri-match with Babson and Wentworth, while the Buccaneers head to Dean College to take on the Bulldogs at two.