SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Junior Ashley Dumont recorded a match-best eight kills as the United States Coast Guard Academy bested Mount Holyoke College, 3-0 (25-7, 25-11, 25-18), in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Wednesday evening. With the victory, the Bears improve to 15-7 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The Lyons slip to 2-16 and 0-7 in the NEWMAC.
In addition to Dumont (Silver Spring, Md./Good Counsel), who added three block solos and one block assist in the match, the Bears also saw first year Emma Saunders (LaGrange, Ill./Nazareth Academy) post seven kills, five digs and two block assists. Junior Maggie Hine (Richmond, Va./Eastern Mennonite) and first year Michelle McGill (Atlantic Beach, Fla./Duncan U. Fletcher) each added 13 digs, with Hine posting 10 assists and McGill adding four.
For Mount Holyoke, junior Emma Sweeting (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) recorded a team-best seven kills, adding 10 digs and an assist. Senior Kaleen Iwema (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township) had four kills and a match-high 15 digs, while sophomore Natalie Lyon (Oakton, Va./Flint Hill School) also posted a match-best 15 digs with a match-high 12 assists.
Coast Guard came out firing in the opening set, jumping out to a 10-2 lead behind an attacking error on the Lyons. The Bears continued to gain momentum, pushing their advantage to 20-6 on a kill from first year Madison Scott (Lusby, Md./Patuxent High). The Lyons were able to gain a point on an attacking error, but three straight points, including a kill from Dumont, closed out the opening set.
In the second set, Coast Guard once again pulled away despite a close start to the frame. The Bears held a narrow 9-7 lead following a kill from MHC's Iwema, but pulled opened the gap with five straight points to make it 14-7. Mount Holyoke gained two points back following back-to-back CGA errors, but the Bears quickly took control with a 9-1 run to make it a 24-10 score. Despite a kill from first year Katrina Meserve (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth), the Lyons could not get any closer as Dumont closed out the set for the 24-11 win.
The final set saw Mount Holyoke battle back and make it a 10-9 match on a block by senior Rebecca Bland (Durham, N.C./Carolina Friends School). Despite keeping the score within two points over the next several plays, the Lyons could not hold off the Bears, who went up by a 21-18 margin and rattled off four straight points for the set victory and match win.
Mount Holyoke is back on court on Tuesday, travelling to Springfield for a 7pm match against the Pride. Coast Guard is also in action next Tuesday, hosting Wheaton at 7pm.
