SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The Mount Holyoke college volleyball team won its second game in a row after a 3-0 victory over Framingham State University on Thursday night. With the win, the Lyons improve to 7-6 overall, while the Rams slip to 6-12.
Leading the Lyons effort was sophomore middle hitter Sasha Simine (Kitchener, Ont./Cameron Heights Collegiate Inst.), who posted a game-leading 16 kills, to go along with three total blocks. Defensively, junior middle hitter Jamesa Allen (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona) dominated, notching a season-high six total blocks. First year Brayden Walden (McKinney, Texas/McKinney North) led the game in assists with 28, while junior libero Cameron Graham (Sarasota, Fla./The out of Door Academy) led with match with 13 digs.
For the Rams, first year outside hitter Kelly Brinkman (Gardiner, N.Y./New Paltz) led the attack with seven kills to go along with five digs. Senior middle hitter Casie Thurber (Springfield, Mass./Sabis International) was close behind with five kills, while junior setter Mackenzie Whalen (Norton, Mass./Norton) led the squad in digs with nine.
The teams traded points early in the first set, playing to a 9-9 tie before three errors from MHC and a kill from Whalen put the Rams up 13-9. The Lyons gained momentum back, using three kills from Simine to tie the game at 18-all. Framingham State took the lead back, capitalizing on an error by MHC, but an attack error of their own ended the set 25-23 in favor of the Lyons.
The Rams came out the gates strong again in the second set, gaining a 7-2 advantage after two kills from Whalen. Mount Holyoke countered with five straight points to tie the game after three straight errors from the Rams. MHC took full control over the set after a kill from Allen kick-started an 8-0 run, culminated by a service ace from Graham to go up 16-9.
After a kill from first year Brandey Rodriguez (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence), the Lyons went on another run, this time scoring seven straight points to take a commanding 23-10 lead. MHC finished the set with a kill and a service ace to take a 2-0 match advantage.
Once again, Framingham got out to an early lead after a kill from Brinkman put the Rams up 4-1. Mount Holyoke went on to score 10 of the next 12 points to take a 11-6 lead after a kill from junior outside hitter Isabell Linde (Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic).
The Rams battled back to tie the game at 18-all, using a pair of kills by Thurber. The Lyons went on another big run, scoring the final seven of eight points to cement a match and set win.
Mount Holyoke will be back at home in NEWMAC action on Tuesday, facing Springfield College at 7:00pm. Framingham State will be back at home on Saturday in tri-match action against Mount Ida and Suffolk, beginning at 12:00pm.
