Volleyball Drops Pair of Matches at Salve Tri

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Bridgewater State University volleyball team dropped a pair of matches on Saturday at a tri-match hosted by Salve Regina University.

The Bears dropped a 3-0 decision (25-15, 25-21, 25-5) to Salve Regina in their opening match, and then lost 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-13, 25-18) to Rivier University.

Salve Regina 3, Bridgewater State 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-5)

The host Seahawks coasted to the 3-0 sweep winning the first and third sets decisively. Salve posted a .333 hitting percentage and finished with 12 aces while limiting the Bears to a -.060 hitting percentage and four aces. Salve committed nine serving errors, while Bridgewater registered seven serving miscues.

Sophomore outside hitter Lucy Swanson (West Yarmouth, Mass.) paced Salve with a match-best ten kills to go along with seven digs and an ace. Junior defensive specialist Jacey Cosciello (Seymour, Conn.) recorded a match-high six aces and junior setter Siena DeCicco (Severna Park, Md.) handed out a match-best 23 assists. Senior outside hitter Brighton Solheim (Phoenix, Ariz.) contributed six kills and eight digs.

Senior outside hitter Abigail Reardon (Fairhaven, Mass.) notched three kills and a pair of aces to pace Bridgewater State, while sophomore outside hitter Kim Gowell (Durham, N.H.) recorded four kills. Senior setter Bethany Votta (Cumberland, R.I.) handed out ten assists and freshman libero Lilly Misay (New Bedford, Mass.) tallied six digs and an ace.

Rivier 3, Bridgewater State 1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-13, 25-18)

After splitting the first two well-contested sets (25-21, 20-25), Rivier held the edge in play the rest of the way as the Raiders won the final two sets, 25-13, 25-18.

The Raiders posted a .217 hitting percentage and notched 11 aces but were gulity of 21 serving errors. The serving errors accounted for 27% of the Bears' scoring.

Bridgewater finished with a .011 hitting percentage, nine aces and 12 serving errors.

Sophomore outsider hitter Ali Rivera (Lowell, Mass.) paced the Raiders with ten kills, three aces and four digs. Freshman outside hitter Sam Driend (Sandown, N.H.) registered a match-best 11 kills, while junior setter Ryan Hicks (Danbury, Conn.) led all players with 25 assists. Junior middle blocker Lily Sills (Carlisle, Mass.) checked in with nine kills and a .353 hitting percentage for Rivier.

Votta produced 15 assists, a pair of aces and seven digs to lead the way for Bridgewater State. Junior middle hitter Rachel Sebastian-Asbed (St. Louis, Mo.) notched a team-high six kills, while Gowell added five kills and an ace, and Reardon four kills and an ace.

In upcoming action, the Bears (0-3) entertain Lesley University on Wednesday evening at six o'clock.