Lasers Return from Game Down to Triumph Over Mustangs

NEWTON, MA-- After dropping the first set of the match on Tuesday night, the Lasell College women's volleyball team came back to win three straight sets over Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) cross-town rival Mount Ida College to secure the 3-1 match victory.  The win betters Lasell's record to 9-14 as well as their GNAC slate to 2-3, while the Mustangs take a step back at 11-8 and 4-3 in the conference.

Three Lasers notched double-figures in the kill column while four produced double-figures in the dig column. Sophomore Sara Biondo (Coventry, RI) finished the contest with Lasell's only double-double performance, putting away 13 kills, good for a match-high performance, and adding 10 digs.  Alexis Chappell (Springfield, MA) added 12 kills and Danielle Drapeau (Biddeford, ME) put away 11 while Jenna Lynn Geary (Marion, MA), Marissa Visocchi (Whitman, MA), and Anna Feeter (Peterborough, NH) scoured the court for a combined 57 digs. Geary topped the Lasers defense with 24 digs.

Lasell also received a notable showing from senior setter Meghan Crozier (Ballston Spa, NY) who distributed 36 assists and added eight digs. 

Mount Ida had three double-double's after the evenings work.  Rachelle Gilbert (Corunna, IN) recorded a team-best 11 kills and collected an outstanding 32 defensive pickups.  Gilbert also recorded three points on service aces. The Mustangs' setting tandem also each came away with double-doubles.  Cody Fusco (San Francisco, CA) had 16 assists and 11 digs while Nicole Peixoto (New Bedford, MA) dished out 13 helpers and swept up 15 digs. 

The first set was a back-and-forth venture that ultimately ended in Mount Ida's favor, 26-24.  The extra points were necessary after four lead changes and five ties throughout the set. 

Mount Ida took an early lead, going up 6-2 with Peixoto serving four straight points.  Drapeau eventually put down the kill that broke up the Mustangs run smartly placing a short attack into the middle of the court. After Lasell closed back within one point on a Crozier dump into the short corner, Mount Ida raced back on top, 12-8, on an ace by Fusco and a cleverly placed second ball attack that turned into a kill. 

Once again Lasell forged their comeback on back-to-back kills by Drapeau as she dropped down two rockets off overpassed balls by the Mustangs.  Lasell eventually took the lead, 15-14, on another free ball attack, this time by Eileen Barrett (Ludlow, MA) slamming down the overpass. 

The Lasers pulled ahead by a significant five point edge, 21-17, on a 5-0 run with Drapeau serving two aces during the stretch.  The Lasers reached game-point on a Crozier service ace, but the Mustangs responded on the next point with a kill by Nicole Batakis (East Longmeadow, MA) to earn the side-out.  Mount Ida went on to score seven straight points, including three aces by Batakis, to put the set away, 26-24.

Set two was a different story as Mount Ida's only advantage during the game was early on taking a 3-2 edge off a Laser serving error.  Lasell quickly came back on consecutive Chappell kills to pull ahead 7-3 and then boosted their lead to as many as nine, 21-12.  The Mustangs closed the gap slightly, to 24-20, but a service error sealed the Mustangs fate in the game as Lasell won, 25-20.

Lasell owned the third game from the onset keeping at least five points between the squads through almost the entire set.   Mount Ida closed in on the hosts at 14-12 just once, but Feeter fashioned together a service run to keep distance between the teams. The Lasers recorded a 25-17 win in the game.

The deciding game was also never in question as the momentum continued to carry in Lasell's favor.  A 4-0 stretch opened the contest and then, despite a 7-7 tie early on, the Lasers moved on to take seven point lead shortly thereafter.  A tip by Drapeau over the middle block brought the set to match-point, and an attack error by the Mustangs concluded the contest, 25-19, and the match, 3-1.

As a team, Lasell produced a .158 attack percentage as well as five blocks and eight service aces.  The Mustangs swung for a .025 clip, managed just one block, but did come away with nine aces in the game.

Lasell moves out of conference play on Thursday, October 13th for a 7:00 p.m. match with Lesley University.  On Saturday, Lasell returns home to host a GNAC tri-match with Saint Joseph College of Connecticut and Rivier College at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  Saturday also marks Family, Friends, and Alumni Weekend for Lasell College, as well as Senior Day and Dig Pink Day for the women's volleyball team.