WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – It was an undefeated day for the Mount Holyoke College volleyball team as they defeated the University of Saint Joseph and Medgar Evers in tri-match action in West Hartford on Saturday. With the victories, the Lyons improve to 3-0 on the season, which includes Wednesday's season-opening win at Elms.
The first match of the day saw MHC square off in a tough battle with the host BlueJays. It was a five-set marathon for the two teams, as the Lyons pulled off the 25-27, 25-9, 13-25, 25-22, 15-12 victory.
Leading the way for Mount Holyoke was senior captain and outside hitter Emma Sweeting (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings), who posted 11 kills, 15 digs, two assists and three service aces in the match. First year middle hitter Sarah Caggiano (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown) added eight kills and three block assists, while classmate and fellow middle hitter Joy Maran (Santa Fe, N.M./Santa Fe Prep) had seven kills, 12 digs, three service aces and a match-best six block assists.
It was a back-and-forth battle throughout the match, as the teams entered the fifth set. Mount Holyoke held a 14-9 advantage after a kill from Caggiano, but USJ rallied back with three straight kills to push the score to 14-12. It was junior setter Natalie Lyon (Oakton, Va./Flint Hill School) who would seal the victory, laying down a perfect dump shot for the kill – one of her five kills in the match. She also added 29 assists, three service aces and 18 digs.
Mount Holyoke cruised to a 55-minute victory in the second match of the day, defeating Medgar Evers, 25-3, 25-18, 25-8. The Lyons were powered by efforts from all ends of the lineup as eight of 10 players in action recorded at least one kill. Maran led the way, notching five kills with six service aces, four digs and a block solo. Caggiano added four kills and a match-best seven service aces, while sophomore outside hitter Katrina Meserve (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) had four kills, two service aces and six digs.
The Lyons got off to an outstanding start, jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the opening set. Medgar Evers earned back-to-back points following MHC errors, but the Lyons quickly gained control with a 9-0 run to build up a 19-2 advantage. Mount Holyoke closed out the set win with six straight points, including four by Caggiano (three from service aces).
In the final set, the Lyons built up a 17-5 lead, but Medgar Evers retaliated with three straight points to make it a 17-8 score. MHC would go on to capitalize on three errors by their opponents and four service aces to seal the win.
Next up for Mount Holyoke is a 7pm match at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Tuesday.