Volleyball Extends Winning Streak to Eight at Bridgewater State

BRIDGEWATER, Mass.— Despite losing their first set in October, the MCLA Volleyball team remained hot in a 3-1 demolition of the Bridgewater State Bears. The win moves the Trailblazers to within a half-game of the MASCAC-leading Westfield State, pending their matchup at Mass. Maritime tomorrow.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
• Score: MCLA 3, Bridgewater 1
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 16-3 (MASCAC 5-1) | Bridgewater State Bears 3-12 (MASCAC 1-5)

HIGHLIGHTS

• MCLA overcame an early two-point deficit in the first set on the strength of an 8-1 run that included a six-point service run by Anais Badio. The run included a pair of service aces by Badio and a kill from Elizabeth Brown. The set was completed with the Trailblazers on an 11-4 run. Chloie Garber recorded a pair of service aces during the run, while Audrey Melson dropped three kills on the Bears.
• The Trailblazers dropped their first set during October in a tight 26-24 set. Garber's ace with the score tied at 23 gave them a chance to take a 2-0 lead, but the Bears fought back with a three-point run of their own to take the set.
• In the third set, MCLA gave Bridgewater a taste of their own medicine, returning from a 21-18 deficit and closing the set on a 7-1 run. Ellie Walter-Goodspeed finished the set on a four-point service run, including a service ace and kills from Garber and Melson.
• MCLA started the fourth set with an 11-1 run that saw the hosts call a pair of timeouts in an effort to stem the Trailblazers' momentum. The first one came with a score of 6-1 and failed that effort, while the second came with a score of 10-1. Walter-Goodspeed had three service aces in the fourth set that gave her team a 22-6 edge before they held on to win the set 25-10.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The 10 points the Trailblazers allowed in the fourth set was the second-lowest point total allowed this season in a full-length set. The only lower total was nine in the first set at Fitchburg State on October 11^th. MCLA held SUNY Cobleskill to two points in a boat race of a fifth set in the season opener on September 1^st.
• Brown recorded a double-double with a game-high 14 kills (.270 hitting percentage) and 21 digs. The 21 digs trailed only the game-high 23 digs by both Garber and Walter-Goodspeed.

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when they travel to the University of Saint Joseph (CT) for a non-conference tri-match with the Saint Joseph's College (ME) Monks and the USJ Blue Jays at the O'Connell Athletic Center. The matches are scheduled for a 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. start.