Springfield tops volleyball in fifth straight victory

Elle Rimando led Mount Holyoke with six kills in a 3-0 loss at Springfield on Oct. 11, 2022. (RJB Sports file photo)
Elle Rimando led Mount Holyoke with six kills in a 3-0 loss at Springfield on Oct. 11, 2022. (RJB Sports file photo)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Springfield College had 10 players record a kill and earned its fifth straight straight-set victory in defeating the Mount Holyoke College volleyball team 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-13) in a NEWMAC match Tuesday night in Blake Arena.

The host Pride rose to 13-4 on the season and evened their NEWMAC record to 3-3; Mount Holyoke (6-10, 1-6 NEWMAC) has lost three straight for the first time this season.

Springfield hit at a .284 percentage for the match, compared to .035 for the Lyons, and recorded a season-high 15 service aces.

Springfield's Ally Townsend led all players with 16 digs and six aces, Natalie Billet produced seven kills and three blocks, Elsie Phillips notched four blocks, and Megan Kirtyan turned in 27 assists, eight digs, three kills, and two aces.

First-year middle hitter Elle Rimando (Mililani, Hawaii) led Mount Holyoke with six kills on only 11 attempts against two attack errors (.364). First-year Madeline Barton (Brookfield, Wis.) added five kills.

Senior Marion Abeja (Kumi, Uganda) contributed three kills, five digs and two blocks. Sophomore Lucie Berclaz (Hull, Mass.) had a team-high 12 digs and first-year Sadie Duffrin (Minneapolis, Minn.) posted 18 assists with six digs.

Mount Holyoke will look to return to the winning column this Saturday in a pair of non-conference matches at Framingham State -- the first a neutral-site match against Fitchburg State at 3:30pm, followed by a match against Framingham State at 5:30pm.