SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Aided by double-digit kill efforts from sophomore Krissy Robertson and first year Lorriane Mackiewicz, the Babson College volleyball team defeated Mount Holyoke College, 3-0 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both teams. With the win, the visiting Beavers move to 7-5 overall, while the Lyons shoulder their first loss of the season and are now 8-1.
Babson won by set scores of 25-21, 25-23, 25-17. The Beavers jumped out to a quick advantage as kills from Robertson (Dedham, Mass./Ursuline Academy) and sophomore outside hitter Mary Donahue (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) gave the visitors a 4-1 advantage. Mount Holyoke pulled it to within two (5-3), but the Beavers continued to attack and held a 16-11 lead after a Robertson kill.
Mount Holyoke was able to pull to within four (24-20) and got the benefit of an attack error against Babson, but the visitors closed out the set with a kill from sophomore opposite Mary Martin (East Haddam, Conn./Nathan Hale-Ray) for the opening set win.
The second set saw the homestanding Lyons jump out to a solid 6-3 lead to get things going as kills from sophomore outside hitter Emma Sweeting (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) and junior middle hitter Rebecca Bland (Durham, N.C./Carolina Friends School) paved the way.
Following a pair of attacking errors by Babson, the visiting Beavers got back into the game, scoring four straight points to tie it at 13-all. Martin had two kills during the rally. The Lyons built the lead back up and continued to lead 20-17 before the visitors made their move. Paced by kills from Mackiewicz (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens) and Robertson, Babson tied it at 22-all.
Robertson and Donahue's late kills closed it out for Babson in the second frame.
The final set was paced from the start by Babson, who rallied from behind to jump out to an 8-5 lead. Mackiewicz added two kills during the stretch. A kill from senior outside hitter Martina Kneifel (Oro Valley, Ariz./Canyon del Oro) helped pull it to 17-12 in favor of Babson, but the Lyons couldn't recover as the Beavers got four straight kills to close out the match.
Robertson posted a game-best 10 kills and 15 assists to go along with two aces and four digs, while Mackiewicz added 10 kills. Sophomore setter Angela Price (Medway, Mass./Medway) had a game-best 16 assists and junior defensive specialist Brianna San Diego (Daly City, Calif./Lick-Wilmerding) chipped in with 14 digs.
For the Lyons, Sweeting had a match-high 10 kills, while first year setter Natalie Lyon (Oakton, Va./Flint Hill School) had 15 assists. Junior libero Kaleen Iwema (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township) added a game-best 17 digs.
Mount Holyoke continues its homestand on Saturday when it welcomes Emerson for a 1pm contest. Babson is back in action on Thursday hosting Johnson & Wales at 7pm.
