BRISTOL, R.I. –- The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's volleyball team was defeated by Wesleyan University, 3-0 (25-10, 25-14, 25-12), in a neutral match as part of the RWU Invitational hosted by Roger Williams University at Paolina Recreation Center in Bristol, R.I.
The Lyons fall to 1-3 on the season, while the Cardinals open their season with a 1-0 mark.
Wheaton was the victim of 24 attack errors and finished the match with a -.020 hitting percentage, while Wesleyan clicked offensively throughout the contest, committing just six errors, including just one in each of the first and third frames as part of a .305 hitting mark.
The Cardinals got up for 12 blocks to help contain the Lyons' attack.
Senior outside hitter Sydney Lyon (Weston, Conn.) led Wheaton with nine kills on a .217 hitting clip to go with six digs, while classmate Celina Henn (Atwater, Calif.) chipped in with four kills, an ace, a block assist and five digs. Junior setter Ajsa Orbán (Budapest, Hungary) set for eight assists and picked up three digs, while junior libero Jackie Hochberg (Tampa, Fla.) got down for nine digs.
Senior outside hitter Sophia Lindus (Los Angeles, Calif.) hit for a match-high 10 kills to top Wesleyan to go with a .292 hitting percentage, three aces, a pair of blocks and eight digs, while junior outside hitter Keira Sweetnam (Marblehead, Mass.) put down nine kills on a .412 hitting mark and added three block assists and two digs. Senior setter Ali Landa (La Crescenta, Calif.) directed the offense with 22 assists in addition to eight digs and a block assist and junior defensive specialist Elliana Moreno (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) scooped up 11 digs.
The teams traded 4-1 runs to start the opening set with junior right side hitter Mary Caroline Mazzanti (New Orleans, La.) spiking for a pair of kills during the Lyons' burst that tied the match at 5-5. Wheaton stayed deadlocked at 6-6, before the Cardinals put together a torrid 19-4 stretch to close out the set for a 25-10 win and a 1-0 match lead.
Wesleyan scored the first four points as part of an 11-5 run to start the middle frame. Wheaton scored three straight points to pull within 11-8 and was within 12-9, but the Cardinals went on a 13-5 blitz, led by four kills and an ace from sophomore middle hitter India Clark (Los Angeles, Calif.), to take the set, 25-14.
Lyon put away a kill to give her namesake a 4-2 lead, before Wesleyan scored five of the next six points to take a 7-5 margin. Henn spiked for a kill to keep Wheaton close at 10-8, but the Cardinals continued their trend and pulled away with a 15-4 run that was fueled by three kills and a pair of aces from Lindus, to give Wesleyan the set and the match.
The Lyons return to the court tomorrow when they take on Simmons University in Bristol at 10:00 a.m., while the Cardinals play host Roger Williams at 12:00 p.m.
