Volleyball Edged by Worcester State, 3-2

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University volleyball team battled back from a set down as the Lancers edged visiting Bridgewater State University, 3-2, in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) affair on Wednesday night at the John P. Brissette Court. Worcester won the match by set scores of 12-25, 25-22, 25-17, 16-25 and 15-13.

The Lancers improve to 3-11 on the season and 2-1 in the MASCAC, while the Bears fall to 6-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

Sophomore setter Angela Colonis (Waterford, Conn.) led Worcester State with 17 assists, eight digs and a match-best five aces to go along with a pair of kills. Senior outside hitter Camryn Burgio (Quincy, MA) added 12 digs and eight kills for the Lancers, while senior right side Gabby Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.) racked up ten kills on the night. Senior middle blocker Erin Gaffney (Worcester, Mass.) finished the match with five blocks.

Senior setter Savannah Quintal (Assonet, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with a match-high 24 assists as well as three aces, eight digs and a kill. Quintal's second ace of the night marked the 100th of her career.

Junior libero Victoria Caiano (Acushnet, Mass.) checked in with seven assists, two aces and a match-best 15 digs for the Bears, while senior right side Becca Whalen (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman outside hitter Kim Gowell (Durham, N.H.) notched ten kills apiece. Gowell also recorded four aces. Freshman middle hitter Rachel Sebastian-Asbed (St. Louis, Mo.) added seven kills and five solo blocks, and freshman outsider hitter Sarah Brogioli (Milford, Mass.) registered eight kills, a pair of aces and ten digs.

The two teams split the first four sets with the Bears cruising to a 25-12 decision in the opener and posting a 25-16 win in set four to force a decisive fifth game. The Lancers led 14-12 in a tightly-contested final set before a serving error pulled the Bears to within one. Worcester then won the match when a BSU return sailed out.

Bridgewater finished with a .186 hitting percentage, 13 aces and seven blocks, while Worcester posted a .135 hitting percentage as well as 14 aces and seven blocks.

The Lancers are back in action on Saturday they travel to Wentworth for a tri-match with the host Leopard and Eastern Nazarene College. The Bears are off until next Tuesday when they travel to Emmanuel College for a seven o'clock match with the Saints.