Volleyball Takes Two in Home Tri-Match

PAXTON, Mass.—The Anna Maria College volleyball team took two wins at their home tri-match on Saturday, downing the University of Saint Joseph and UMass Dartmouth by scores of 3-0.

The Blue Jays of USJ took a 3-0 win over UMass Dartmouth in the middle match.

With today's results, the AMCATS improve to 13-11 overall and 4-3 in GNAC play. USJ sits at 9-12 overall and 2-6 in GNAC play, while UMass Dartmouth falls to 9-16 on the season.

ANNA MARIA 3, ST. JOSEPH 0

Sophomore Rebecca Foti (Bedford, N.H.) posted a season-best 16 kills to lead the AMCATS to a 3-0 win in GNAC play. Foti made just two attack errors in 30 attempts for a .467 hitting percentage.

With the win, the AMCATS snap a four-match winless streak to the Blue Jays, who have won every meeting with the AMCATS since Anna Maria joined the GNAC in 2011.

The Anna Maria defense held the Blue Jays to just 21 kills on the day while compiling 48 kills on their own offensive end.

In addition to Foti, the AMCATS saw 11 kills from Jessica Goulet (Lawrence, Mass.) and nine from Amari King (Lawrence, Mass.).

Senior setter Samantha Parker (Athol, Mass.) set a new personal three-set record in assists with 40.

Defensively, the AMCATS saw 15 digs from freshman libero Carolina Garcia (Springfield, Mass.) and 13 digs from King.

St. Joseph saw a team-best eight kills from Tiffany Mapusaga (Waianae, Hawaii). Carly Ruzbasan (Torrington, Conn.) dished out 13 assists, while Sara Lipinski (Farmington, Conn.) paced the defense with 15 digs.

ST. JOSEPH 3, UMASS DARTMOUTH 0

The Blue Jays overcame their loss to Anna Maria and downed UMass Dartmouth 3-0 in the middle match. St. Joseph rallied from deficits in both the second and third sets, including a five-point deficit at 20-15 in the third set.

The Blue Jays managed to even the score at 20-20 on a five-point stretch that included two service aces for Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.) and two attack errors by the Corsairs. Points later, the Corsairs had a game-point opportunity at 24-23, but a kill by USJ's Mapusaga evened the score at 24-24. The Blue Jays rattled off back-to-back points on the serve of Mapusaga to take the 27-25 win.

Vigue finished with nine kills for the Blue Jays, followed by Mapusaga with eight. The team totaled 10 serbice errors, including four from Mapusaga. Ruzbasan dished out 23 assists, while Mapusaga, Ruzbusan and Vigue paced the defense with 19, 11, and 10 digs, respectively.

The Corsairs saw seven kills from both Kayla Kirby (Westport, Mass.) and Megan Ronaghan (North Attleboro, Mass.). Christina Spinazola (Medway, Mass.) totaled 21 assists and 15 digs, while Brianna Perry (Achushnet, Mass.).

Ronaghan also added four solo blocks for UMass Dartmouth.

ANNA MARIA 3, UMASS DARTMOUTH 0

The AMCATS took a 3-0 win in the final match of the day, downing the Corsairs by scores of 25-16, 25-21, and 25-15.

Foti again led the AMCAT offense, this time totaling 10 kills with zero errors in 27 attempts. Both Goulet and King finished with seven kills apiece.

Parker dished out 23 assists and added a team-leading 12 digs.

The Corsairs saw 10 kills from Kirby, while Jasmine Burris (New Bedford, Mass.) added seven. Spinazola dished out 22 assists, while Perry and Burris added 16 and 13 digs, respectively.