SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Worcester State University used a solid effort, including a 29-kill effort from senior Alyssa Jasper to post a 2-0 record in the season-opening tri-match at Mount Holyoke College on Saturday. The Lancers defeated the host Lyons by a 3-0 margin and downed Norwich University, 3-1, in the middle match. The Cadets earned a 3-1 victory over MHC.

Worcester State is now 2-0, Norwich moves to 1-1 and Mount Holyoke is now 0-2.

Match one between Worcester State and MHC saw the two teams battle close in the first set until the Lyons jumped out to a 6-3 advantage on a kill by first year outside hitter Katrina Meserve (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth). MHC continued to hold the advantage until a kill from Jasper finally pulled the Lancers even with a 16-16 score. The Lyons were able to battle back to tie the contest at 20-all, but Worcester State capitalized on several errors in the waning moments for the 25-20 win.

The Lancers came out strong in the second set, going up 12-5 on a kill from junior Meghan Deighan (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield), but Mount Holyoke inched back in as a strike from junior Emma Sweeting (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) made it a 13-12 score for Norwich. It was as close as the Lyons would get in the frame as a pair of kills from Jasper and sophomore setter Jamika Townsend (Virginia Beach, Va./King's Fork) gave Worcester State a 25-16 win in the second.

Worcester State dominated the third as four kills from Jasper and numerous errors over the final points sealed the 25-11 set victory and the match decision. Jasper led with 15 kills, also recording 10 digs. Junior Jennifer Cabral (Swansea, Mass./Case) chipped in with nine kills and a game-best 14 digs. For MHC, Sweeting posted 10 kills, while senior Kaleen Iwema (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township) had a team-high 10 digs.

In the middle match, Worcester State battled Norwich to a 25-19 opening set victory. In the second set, Norwich mounted a comeback as it took the 25-18 victory, pulling away from a 6-6 score on a pair of kills from senior Kelsey Mancini (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield). The Lancers rebounded in the third set dominating for the majority of the play, including five straight points late for the 25-17 win.

The fourth set saw the Lancers pull away from a 5-5 margin to go on a run for a 15-7 score and grab the 25-15 set win and the match victory. Jasper once again dominated for Worcester State, notching 14 kills and 13 digs to go along with two block assists. Townsend added six kills and a game-high three service aces, while Cabral recorded 21 digs. For Norwich, Mancini had 13 kills and senior Alex Palmer (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) added 10 kills. Sophomore Alex Ruediger (Sandy Lake, Pa./Sandy Lake) had 25 digs, while first year Katherine Crane (Avon, N.Y./Avon) recorded a game-best 37 assists.

 The first set of the days final match between Mount Holyoke and Norwich saw the Lyons battle back from a 6-3 deficit to tie things at 13-all on a kill from senior Rebecca Bland (Durham, N.C./Carolina Friends School). MHC took the lead and held on down the stretch for the 25-23 victory.

The second set saw Norwich take charge, going up by a 7-0 margin, which included two kills and an assist from senior Corinne Baita (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding). MHC was unable to pull the match close as back-to-back service aces from first year Alma Turpin (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) and a final kill from Mancini sealed the 25-11 set win.

In the third set, Mount Holyoke made it a 6-3 game behind three kills from Sweeting and continued to gain momentum behind numerous Cadets' errors to lead 14-9. A kill from Turpin tied the set at 20-all and despite regaining the lead on back to back kills from Sweeting, MHC was unable to grab the win as a kill by junior Tara Lyons (Pocasset, Mass./Bourne), coupled with an MHC error and a kill from Baita gave Norwich the 26-24 win to push it to a final set.

Both teams posted a strong effort to open the fourth set, despite Norwich taking the early 4-2 lead. MHC countered to tie it at 12-all on a kill from Bland, but the Cadets would rally for a 19-15 lead behind a service ace from Mancini. A kill from senior Susie Gardiner (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y./Croton Harmon) cut the Lyons deficit to 19-16 but they could not pull even as Norwich took the set 25-21 for the 3-1 match victory.

Lyons led the Cadets effort with 13 kills, and four blocks (1 solo), while Palmer added 11 kills and 10 digs. Ruediger posted 20 digs in the match, while Turpin added three service aces. For Mount Holyoke, Sweeting had a game-best 18 kills, while Meserve added 13 digs and two block assists. Sophomore setter Natalie Lyon (Oakton, Va./Flint Hill School) had 24 assists.

Mount Holyoke returns to action next Saturday, hosting a tri-match against St. Joseph (11am) and Bridgewater State (3pm). Norwich will head to UMass-Dartmouth for a two-day tournament beginning next Friday, while Worcester State is back on the court on Wednesday at UMass-Dartmouth (7pm).

Follow Lyons Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.