Women’s Volleyball Picks Up First GNAC Loss of Season

NEWTON, Mass. – Regis College lost to Lasell University, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-18), Tuesday night in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's volleyball match at the Lasell Athletic Center.

Avery Mola (Cheshire, Conn.) led the Pride offensively with 12 kills, while Grace Fabiano (Greenland, N.H.) collected seven kills. However, Regis struggled to stop the Lasell offensive attack as the Lasers posted a .299 hitting percentage as a team and combined for 12 service aces.

Lasell (11-3, 5-0 GNAC) scored the first four points of the match, but Regis battled back to eventually tie the opening set at 9-9. The Lasers scored four straight points to open a 15-10 advantage and then, buoyed by consecutive blocks from the tandem of Juliana Medini and Emily VanHouten, rattled off six unanswered points to extend their lead to 22-12. Lasell clinched the first set on a kill by Eliana Baran.

The second set featured six ties and three lead changes as the momentum went back and forth. Midway through the set, Regis put together a 7-1 scoring run that included a service ace by Ayla Albers (San Diego, Calif.) and a solo block by Kate Montigny (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

The Lasers responded with their own 7-1 scoring run, capped by a service ace from McKenna McCool. Mola cut the Regis deficit in half to two points at 22-20 with a kill and a service ace, but Lasell would hold off the Pride and clinch the second set on a kill by VanHouten.

Lasell scored four of the first five points of the third set, but Regis again fought back to tie the set at 9-9. A kill by Shantte Siliezar and a service ace from Baran allowed the Lasers to retake the lead, this time for good as the home team slowly pulled away before closing out the set and the match on a kill by Baran.

McCool paced the Lasers with 12 kills on a .647 hitting percentage along with four service aces and six digs, while Baran finished with 10 kills and three service aces. Sydney Katz dished out a match-high 21 assists, and four different Lasell players ended up with four total blocks apiece at the net.

Regis College (11-5, 4-1 GNAC) heads to West Hartford, Conn., for a GNAC tri-match Saturday, Oct. 5. The Pride will face Anna Maria College at 1 p.m. and host University of Saint Joseph at 3 p.m.