Seahawks tame Lions

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina University volleyball team defeats Eastern Nazarene in three sets to improve to 16-9 on Tuesday night inside the Rodgers Recreation Center.

Salve Regina snaps a two game skid, winning three sets by scores of 25-10, 25-17, 25-15.

The Seahawks jumped out to an early 11-3 lead in the first set thanks to a five-point streak from Morgan VanderBaan (Douglas, Mass.) who checked into the match and took control from the service stripe.  Salve Regina would win the set by double digits, as the Lions were unable to string together multiple scores. The Lions only scored on back-to-back serves twice in the set. A 2-0 run to make it 2-1 early, and another 2-0 run later to make the score 7-17.

That trend continued in the second set as the Lions weren't able to put together streaks of scoring plays until the Seahawks had built a large lead. With the Seahawks leading 19-8 the Lions mounted a slight comeback with a 9-5 run to narrow the gap.  However freshman Brittany Good (Whitman, Mass.) was unable to put a serve in play for Eastern Nazarene and the error gave Salve Regina the set and a 2-0 lead.

The Seahawks once again built a large lead in the third set, this time behind Tara Kellenbarger (Encinitas, Calif.) who blocked a shot to give Salve Regina an 8-3 lead then stepped to the service line where she served for the next eight Salve Regina points, including two aces. The Seahawks and Lions then exchanged runs leading to the Seahawks leading 23-9 after a 4-0 run with Francesca Testani (Shelton, Mass.) serving. The Lions would not go quietly however and engineered a 6-1 run to exntend the set, but an attack error by senior Kortney Jenkins (Bunker Hill, W. Va.) gave Salve the set, and the sweep.

The Seahawks had a number of freshman players see significant action in the match.  Francesca Testani, Tara Kellenbarger, Samantha Higgins (Coventry, R.I.), Samantha Salwa (Ellington, Conn.), Mackenzie Donald (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.), and Nora Donahue (Braintree, Mass.), all freshman, were in the starting line-up with junior Chrissy Fraga (Milford, Mass.) making the start at libero. 

Salwa who totaled 22 assists, four digs, two aces, and a kill led the Seahawks offense. Testani led the squad in kills with to go along with eight digs and an ace, while Fraga lead the team in digs with 20.

Jenkins led the Lions with seven kills, 11 digs, an ace, and a block. Hannah Welsh (Derry, N.H.) led Eastern Nazarene in assists with six to go with four digs, two blocks, and a kill.

With the win the Seahawks improve to 16-9 overall and 5-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). Meanwhile Eastern Nazarene falls to 3-23 overall and 1-7 in the CCC.

Eastern Nazarene will be back in action on October 30 versus Rivier on the road.

Salve Regina next plays on Thursday October 30 at 7 p.m. against Emmauel in the final home game of the regular season. That night will also serve as senior night for the class of 2015.