Volleyball Smothers Fitchburg State 3-1 in MASCAC Playoff Opener

MCLA advances to the semi-finals in the MASCAC Playoffs with a 3-1 throttling of Fitchburg State

Chloie Garber had a 14-0 service run to open the fourth set against Fitchburg
Chloie Garber had a 14-0 service run to open the fourth set against Fitchburg
November 7, 2023
Video Box Score

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— The MCLA Volleyball team will have the opportunity to avenge the loss that snapped their 11-match winning streak this past weekend after getting past Fitchburg State this evening at the Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium. A 14-0 run to open the fourth set powered the Trailblazers into the next round of the MASCAC playoffs.

THE BASICS:

  • Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2023
  • Score: Fitchburg State 1, MCLA 3
  • Records: Fitchburg State Falcons 8-17 (MASCAC 2-5) | MCLA Trailblazers 20-4 (MASCAC 5-2)

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Tied 2-2, MCLA would benefit from a 5-0 Anais Badio service run that forced a Fitchburg timeout at 7-2. The Falcons broke the streak out of the timeout, but the Trailblazers kept the pressure on stretching their advantage to 15-4 and then 19-6 before another Falcon timeout. MCLA again gave no quarter with a Chloie Garber kill that ultimately would give MCLA the 25-10 first-set win.
  • At 6-6 in the second, the Trailblazers pulled away with a 10-2 run to make it 16-8, but the Falcons refused to quit clawing their way back into the set and forcing an MCLA timeout down just 19-17. Fitchburg would win the next two points to tie the set at 19-19 and the two teams found themselves again tied at 22-22. But the hosts again showed their metal, taking the next three points with another Garber kill, giving the Trailblazers the 25-22 set win to go up 2-0 in the match.
  • Trailing for much of the third set, Fitchburg caught the hosts at 18-18 and then went ahead 21-19, forcing a Trailblazer timeout. With the score 23-23, the Falcons were able to close things out, pushing the match to a fourth set.
  • An incredible 14-0 service run by Garber to begin the fourth left little doubt of the set and match. Fitchburg would get no closer than 16-6 as the Trailblazers cruised to a 25-9 set win and a return date at Worcester State in the MASCAC semifinals on Thursday.

UP NEXT:

On Thursday, MCLA will be back in action when they travel to Worcester State for the MASCAC playoff semi-finals with the Lancers at the Worcester State Wellness Center. The match is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.

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