Lyons snap 47-set losing streak versus Pride, which dated back to 9/23/03

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College women's volleyball team fell to Springfield College, 3-1, by scores of 21-25, 25-18, 25-14 and 25-15 in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Tuesday evening inside Emerson Gymnasium.

Junior co-captain Deirdre Wilson (Aptos, Calif./Aptos) recorded her fifth triple-double of the season and sixth of her career with 14 kills, 18 assists and 20 digs. Classmate Kendall Jacobs (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) chipped in with ten kills, five digs and a service ace. Sophomore Caitlin Hellebrand (Corona, Calif./Santiago) tallied 17 assists (.362 set percentage) and five digs, while classmate Olivia Wilson (Alameda, Calif./Head Royce) registered 14 digs and first-year Jodi Katz (Needham, Mass./Needham) recorded 11 digs in the match. Junior Areianne Crieghton (Brookline, N.H./Hollis Brookline) aided the offense with seven kills to surpass the 500-career putaways mark.

Sophomore Francesca Mack (Amston, Conn./RHAM) recorded a team-high 12 kills  to go along with eight digs, a solo block and three block assists. Classmate Marnae Mawdsley (Bolton, Conn./Bolton) tallied a match-high 20 assists (.317 set percentage) and six digs. Lauren Holt (Granby, Conn./Granby) recorded nine kills, five block assists and a solo block this evening, while classmates Meghan Kinee (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) and Jennifer Hurwitz (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) tallied 17 and ten digs, respectively.

In set one, Springfield jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, before the Lyons grabbed three-straight points to pull within one at 8-7. Katz then tallied a service ace and Jacobs hammered home a kill to push Wheaton ahead 11-10, midway through the first set. Both teams traded points over the next few plays, but then O. Wilson gave control back to the Lyons as her six serves and Jacobs' two swings gave the hosts seven-straight points and a 23-17 advantage. The Pride climbed back, but it wasn't enough as Wheaton took the first set 25-21, to claim its first set against Springfield since September 23, 2003.

The Lyons grabbed an early 8-4 lead in the second set after a service ace and an attacking error by Springfield. Trading points back and forth until midway through the second set, Wheaton held a 14-9 differential on the scoreboard after Hellebrand set up D. Wilson's kill. The Pride rallied to take the final 16 of 20 points to win 25-18, knotting the match at 1-1. Kelsey McGayhey (Shelter Island, N.Y./Shelter Island) and Holt piloted the offense with seven combined kills.

The third frame began much like the second set concluded. The Pride opened on a 6-2 run as a pair of kills from Mack and Kerry Purcell (Massapequa, Mass./Massapequa) put Wheaton behind early. The Blue and White struggled to maintain pace with Springfield as the Pride pulled away to take the third set 25-14.

In the final set of the evening, the Pride jumped out with a 9-3 run after kills by Hurwitz and McGayhey. A service ace and a kill from Jacobs and a putaway from D. Wilson pulled the hosts within three points at 9-6, but Springfield matched Wheaton's run with a 16-9 run to close out the match.

Wheaton (8-8, 3-1 NEWMAC) host non-conference opponent Emmanuel College on Thursday evening. Springfield (10-4, 4-2 NEWMAC) host Clark (Mass.) in NEWMAC action one week from tonight.

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