Seahawks sweep Wildcats, improve to 13-1

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina volleyball team earned a hard-fought 3-0 victory over neighboring Johnson & Wales (R.I.) University on Tuesday evening by set scores of 25-16, 25-19, 25-18. 

Salve Regina (13-1) raced out to a quick 10-4 lead over the Wildcats in the opening set and never really looked back. The Wildcats would pull as close as they would come behind the serving of senior Giselle Cram (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico) to cut the SRU lead to14-8, but the Seahawks ended the set on a 11-8 run to take the first set, 25-16. 

After the two teams traded the first few serves and junior Erin McGloin (West Islip, N.Y.) serving, the Seahawks broke the 3-3 tie with a pair of kills from senior Clare Adams (New Concord, Ohio) to take a 6-4 lead. The Wildcats used five-straight points to once again tie the game at 14-14 before Salve Regina took control of the second set for good. The Seahawks used a 5-1 run to close out the set, 25-19. 

The third and final set opened with a close battle much like the second before Salve Regina pulled away with a 14-10 lead after a service error from Johnson & Wales. A kill from junior Casey Kirk (Purcellville, Va.) and Salve Regina attack error cut the lead to four, 22-18, but the Seahawks rattled off three straight points to take the set, 25-18. 

Leading the Seahawk attack as Commonwealth Coast Conference player of the Week junior Jennifer Duggan (Merrimack, N.H.) with 10 kills and 11 digs on the evening. Adams was close behind with nine kills and two service aces. Junior Taylor Violet (Tiverton, R.I.) handed out a match-high 28 assists. Junior Dianna Tauro (Melrose, Mass.) picked up 16 digs on the day for Salve Regina. 

Controlling the Wildcat offense was junior Alyssa Drapeau (Biddeford, Maine) with six kills while sophomore Kellen Tensen (New Canann, Conn.) handed out 14 assists. Cram picked up 16 digs on the day. 

Salve Regina returns to the court when the Seahawks host Wentworth to open CCC play on Alumni and Homecoming Weekend Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. Johnson & Wales returns to action it travels to Emmanuel for a Great Northeast Athletic Conference tri-match with the host Saints and Lasell starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday.