Volleyball Takes Two Wins at Tri-Match with Newbury and Salem State

PAXTON, Mass.—The Anna Maria College volleyball posted two victories in their first home tri-match of the season. The AMCATS defeated both Newbury College and Salem State University by scores of 3-0. Newbury topped Salem State in the middle match, 3-0.

With today's dual victories, the AMCATS improve to 6-5 on the season. Newbury improves to 2-4, while Salem State falls to 1-9.

MATCH ONE: ANNA MARIA 3, NEWBURY 0

The AMCATS made quick work of Newbury in the first match of the day, taking a 3-0 victory with set scores of 25-19, 25-17, and 25-19.

Sophomore Amari King (Lawrence, Mass.) totaled a match-best 19 kills in the win, while junior Rebecca Foti (Bedford, N.H.) recorded a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs.

Sophomore Carolina Garcia (Springfield, Mass.) recorded 17 digs for the AMCAT defense, which also saw three blocks from both King and freshman Hannah Mitchell (Pittsfield, Mass.).

Freshman Tierney Clancy (Meriden, Conn.) dished out 34 assists.

The AMCATS posted a .226 hitting efficiency in the match, while holding Newbury to a .099 hitting percentage. Anna Maria had their best hitting performance in the second set when they tallied 16 kills and just four errors on 38 attempts for a .316 effort.

Clancy opened the third set with four-straight service aces. She finished with five overall to contribute to the AMCATS' 12 total service aces.

Newbury was led by Courtney Banks (Corona, Calif.) with 15 kills. Gabby Aldaco (Springdale, Ark.) recorded a match-high 19 digs, while Marlen Reynoso (Springdale, Ark.) dished out 24 assists.

MATCH TWO: NEWBURY 3, SALEM STATE 0

After a close first set that saw neither team lead by more than four points, the Newbury Nighthawks dominated sets two and three en route to a 3-0 victory. Set scores were 25-22, 25-15, and 25-7.

Banks led the Nighthawks with 12 kills, while Lindsey Clark (Venice, Fla.) paced the defense with 15 digs. Reynoso dished out 25 assists.

The Vikings gave the Nighthawks 28 points in hitting errors over the course of the match as they hit in negative percentages in two out of the three sets.

Newbury hit at .205 efficiency and maxed out in the third set when they recorded 11 kills and two errors on 18 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage.

Salem State saw a team-best six kills from Sara LaFreniere (Becket, Mass.). Hannah Mullarkey (Salem, Mass.) recorded nine digs for the Vikings.

MATCH THREE: ANNA MARIA 3, SALEM STATE 0

The AMCATS combined for 24 team kills in the victory and hit at .279 over the three-set match while also serving 14 service aces. Set scores in the victory were 25-11, 25-13, and 25-12.

Foti was the team's best offensive threat with nine kills and four aces. Freshman Alyssa Goulet (Lawrence, Mass.) aided the team with four kills and a team-best five aces.

King chipped in with seven kills, while Garcia recorded 11 digs.

The AMCATS never trailed over the course of three sets as they made quick work of Salem State. The Vikings did not help themselves as they committed 27 attack errors and seven service errors.

The Vikings saw six kills from Olivia Summit (Peabody, Mass.) and five from Sarah Hennessey (Hanover, Mass.).

WHAT'S NEXT

Anna Maria will look for their fifth win in-a-row on Tuesday, September 20^th when they travel to Regis College for a 6:00 p.m. non-conference match. The AMCATS will open Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Thursday in a 7:00 p.m. home match against Simmons College.