Volleyball Serves Up 3-0 Win Over Dean

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University volleyball team cruised to a 3-0 (25-15, 25-8, 25-12) victory over visiting Dean College on Monday evening at the Tinsley Center.

The Bears improve to 4-2 on the season with their second straight win, while the Bulldogs fall to 1-8. Bridgewater State holds a 3-0 lead in the all-time series as the two teams met for the first time in 2019.

Junior libero Victoria Caiano (Acushnet, Mass.) paced the Bears with a career-high 12 aces to go along with two kills, a pair of assists and three digs. Senior middle hitter Sydney Rice (Medway, Mass.) checked in with seven kills and an impressive .875 hitting percentage. Rice also tallied two aces and two assisted blocks.

Bridgewater State also received ten assists, a career-high seven aces, three digs and a kill from junior setter Savannah Quintal (Assonet, Mass.), as well as a kill, two digs and a career-best six aces from junior defensive specialist Allison Raposo (Cumberland, R.I.). Sophomore outside hitter Abigail Reardon (Fairhaven, Mass.) checked in with six kills and two assists, while senior right side hitter Becca Whalen (Plymouth, Mass.) added five kills and three assists.

Bridgewater trailed 11-9 in the opening set, but used an 11-2 run fueled by three kills from senior outside hitter Gabryella Serrano (Bridgewater, Mass.) to pull ahead 20-13. Leading 22-15, Caiano closed out the set with three straight aces. The Bears finished with 11 aces in the opener led by four from Caiano and three by Quintal.

The Bears jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the second set and were never threatened as they cruised to the 25-8 win. Rice and Whalen notched three kills apiece in the set, while Raposo recorded four aces and Caiano added three.

Bridgewater jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead in the third set and got up by as many as 13 points (18-5) before claiming the 25-12 victory and the sweep of the match. The dominant serving continued with Caiano posting four more aces and Quintal picking up a pair. Rice led the attackers with three kills in the set.

Freshman middle hitter Janai Price (Providence, R.I.) and freshman outside hitter Emily Larouche (Agawam, Mass.) led the way for Dean. Price registered three kills, four digs and an assist, while Larouche notched four aces, two assists, two digs and one kill.

Bridgewater State finished with 30 aces in the match. The Bears also recorded a .404 hitting percentage.

Both teams are back in action on Wednesday evening at six o'clock. The Bears host Worcester State University in a key Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) match, while the Bulldogs entertain Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Simmons University.

Notes: Caiano's 12 aces were just two shy of the BSU single-match mark of 14 set by Jennifer Cedrone back in 2001 versus Becker. Kelly Taylor posted 13 aces for the Bears against Mass. Maritime also in 2001, while Crystal Harvey tallied 13 versus MCLA in 2005.