POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Despite a number of outstanding efforts, including a 21-kill performance from junior Emma Sweeting, the Mount Holyoke College volleyball team could not capitalize on the final day of the 2014 Seven Sisters Championships at Vassar. The Lyons fell to the host Brewers, 3-0, to open the morning, and shouldered a 3-0 loss to Smith to wrap-up the day.
In the opening match, Vassar saw Paige Lerman post a 10 kill effort to lead the way. Taylor Mosley added nine kills and six service aces, while Sophia Tijoloff had 27 assists. For MHC, Sweeting, who was named to the Seven Sisters All-Tournament Team, had eight kills and seven digs. Sophomore Natalie Lyon added seven assists and seven digs, while four players each recorded a service ace.
Vassar opened the match with a 25-16 first set win. The Brewers continued to cruise throughout the match with set victories of 25-11 and 25-12 in the second and third. With the win, the Brewers moved to 5-5 overall, while the Lyons slipped to 2-6.
In the second match of the day, the Lyons got a 13-kill and 11 dig effort from Sweeting. Lyon added 17 digs with seven assists, while senior Stephany Yang posted a team-best 18 digs and nine assists. For the Pioneers, Lauren Shaffer had 10 kills, while Mei-Li Smith recorded 23 assists and 13 digs. Julie Voorhes (17 digs), Dayra Diaz Marquez (12 digs) and Allison Hardy (14 digs) each added significant digs.
Smith took the opening set by a 25-15 margin, but the Lyons battled in set two, jumping out to an early lead. Behind numerous attacking errors and kills from Sweeting, senior Rebecca Bland and first year Katrina Meserve, MHC held an 11-3 lead.
Mount Holyoke continued to hold a lead, but a kill from Shaffer later made it 20-all. The Lyons grabbed the lead back, but an attacking error by MHC, combined with a kill from Smith's Xela Miller and an attacking error to end the set gave the Pioneers the 26-24 set win. Smith then posted a dominant performance in the third and final set, taking it by a 25-11 margin for the match victory.
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday with a 7pm match at Babson.
Photo courtesy of RJB Sports Photography.
