Volleyball Downs Mount Ida, Falls to Emmanuel in GNAC Tri-Match

NEWTON, Mass.—The Anna Maria College volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action, downing the Mustangs of Mount Ida College 3-1 before falling to the Saints of Emmanuel College 3-0 in the nightcap.

With today's results, the AMCATS record now sits at 6-4 overall and 1-1 in GNAC play. Mount Ida dropped both matches on the day to fall to 4-9 overall and 0-3 in GNAC action, while Emmanuel's two wins bring them to 9-8 overall and a flawless 2-0 in league play.

Anna Maria 3, Mount Ida 1

The AMCATS downed Mount Ida by scores of 25-18, 17-25, 25-13 and 25-16 despite a personal-best 29 digs by Mount Ida's Kelcey Koolman (Bedford, N.H.).

The Amcat's balanced attack included seven kills apiece from freshman Rebecca Foti (Bedford, N.H.) and Telliah Bursie (Cheektowaga, N.Y.), as well as six kills from Jessica Goulet (Lawrence, Mass.).

Mount Ida freshman Mary Kate Reidy (Agawam, Mass.) became the only player in all three matches to register double-digit kills, as she racked up 11 kills.

On the defensive front, junior libero Brittany Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.) racked up 17 digs of her own and junior setter Samantha Parker (Athol, Mass.) piled up 18 assists in the victory. The AMCATS also served 11 aces in the game, with Jacqueline Clinton (Walpole, Mass.), Demi Carrero (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) and Brianna LaRegina (Troy, N.Y.) serving three each.

Clinton and Carrero combined for 23 digs in the victory.

The Mustangs saw senior setter Nicole Peixoto (New Bedford, Mass.) assist on 21 points and got a pair of service aces from Lucianna Medici (Riverside, R.I.), as well as seven kills and three digs from junior Taylor Davis (Machiasport, Maine).

Emmanuel 3, Anna Maria 0

The Saints picked up their first GNAC win of the year in emphatic fashion, taking care of Anna Maria 25-12, 25-12 and 25-13.

Junior Shannon Dudley (Morro Bay, Calif.) led the way with 25 assists, eight of which came off the swings of junior Danielle Rose (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.).

As a team, the Saints hit .378, including a first set which saw them register 12 kills without an error for a .632 attacking clip.

Junior Brittany Tutalo (Johnston, R.I.) and sophomore Cassie Chruscielski (Duluth, Minn.) R.I.) each had six kills, and Chruscielski added a team-high 12 digs and three service aces along the way.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Atkinson (Brookline, N.H.) picked up seven kills without an attacking error in the win.

The AMCATS were led by Bursie's five kills and nine digs from Clinton, while Parker picked up 14 more assists to complete her day.

LaRegina and Goulet each had three kills in the three-set loss.

Anna Maria returns to action on Wednesday, September 24^th when it hosts Lesley University in a 7:00 p.m. non-conference match.