SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Powered by kills from 10 different players, Babson College posted a 3-0 victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) volleyball action on Tuesday. The victory moves the Beavers to 7-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference play, while the Lyons are now 5-2 with an 0-1 mark in the NEWMAC.
Senior Mary Donahue (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) and first year Shannon Roseen (Malden, Mass./Mystic Valley) – both outside hitters – led the Beavers efforts with seven kills apiece. Senior outside hitter Alicia Wilde (Franklin, Mass./Franklin) added six kills and just one error on 15 attempts with six digs, while first year middle blocker Gizem Yilmaz (Istanbul, Turkey/Hisar School) boasted four kills, two digs and match-highs in both service aces (5) and block assists (4).
For the Lyons, first year middle hitter Joy Maran (Santa Fe, N.M./Santa Fe Prep) had a match-high seven kills. Junior setter Natalie Lyon (Oakton, Va./Flint Hill School) added a match-best 19 assists and nine digs, while senior captain and outside hitter Emma Sweeting (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) recorded six kills and a match-high 12 digs.
MHC held the early lead in the opening set, but the Beavers quickly took control, turning a 1-0 game into a 13-10 score off a kill from Mary Donahue. The Lyons rebounded with kills from Maran and first year middle hitter Sarah Caggiano (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown), but Babson was able to gain the momentum, closing out the set on three straight points – including two service aces - from junior outside hitter Kristen Haislip (Waterford, Va./Woodgrove).
The second set saw the visiting Beavers open up a strong lead, going up 12-3 after an attacking error by Sweeting. Both teams traded points until a pair of errors and a kill from Caggiano pulled the home team to within 18-12. The Lyons would not be able to pull even as four straight points, including a pair of aces from Yilmaz gave Babson the 2-0 advantage.
Mount Holyoke turned up the momentum in the final set, tying it a 4-all on a service error, but a pair of kills from Wilde turned the score back to Babson's favor. The visitors opened up a 19-11 lead, which saw Roseen record six of her seven kills during the span. Two service aces from Yilmaz, coupled with a kill from first year defensive specialist Sarah Zazyczny (Nanuet, N.Y./Nanuet) closed out the match, giving Babson the victory.
Mount Holyoke returns to the court on Saturday, hosting NEWMAC-rival Emerson at 12pm. The Beavers are back in action on Thursday in a 7pm match at Emmanuel.