Seahawks sweep first round; advance in ECACs

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina University women's volleyball team advanced to the semifinal round of the ECAC New England Division III Women's Volleyball Championship with a 3-0 victory over the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Wednesday night.

The Seahawks got an all around team effort with only one player in double figures, Taylor Violet (Tiverton, R.I.), who recorded 23 assists on the evening.

The Seahawks took the first 25-11 by jumping on top quick, opening the match with an 11-4 lead. A service error and an attack error gave the Trailblazers two easy points but Erin McGloin (West Islip, N.Y.) blocked a Courtney Parent (South Deefield, Mass.) attack attempt to give Salve Regina the point and the serve. The Seahawks then went on a 6-0 run with Tara Kuck (Huntington, N.Y.) at the service stripe for Salve Regina to break open the set.  The Seahawks closed on a 7-5 run including a 3-0 run with Dianna Tauro (Melrose, Mass.) serving to cap the first set victory.

The second set was the closest of the night. The Trailblazers came out hot, jumping out to a 6-3 advantage. They would increase their lead to 11-8 off a Darian Quick (Port Jervis, N.Y.) kill before the Seahawks found their grove. Jennifer Duggan (Merrimack, N.H.) spiked a ball home for a kill then stepped up to service stripe for a 4-0 run.  During the run the Seahawks would get blocks a Tara Kuck, while Katelyn Beauregard (Dartmouth, Mass.), and Samantha Higgins (Coventry, R.I.) combined for another. Higgins also recorded a kill during the stretch and Duggan notched her only service ace on the night. The teams then exchanged a series of errors giving Salve Regina a 14-13 lead. Then Brianne O'Rourke (Piseco, N.Y.) tied the game at 14 with a kill. A 3-0 run would give the Seahawks a little breathing room, but the Trailblazers did not flinch keeping right up, and only trailing 21-19 in the later stages of the game. A Jennifer Duggan kill made it 22-19 forcing MCLA to call a timeout.  Out of the break Salve Regina would go on a 2-1 run forcing another timeout as the Trailblazers were in danger of being down two sets.  However Quick would commit an attack error for the Trailblazers giving Salve Regina the 25-20 win and a commanding two sets to none lead.

Again MCLA came out strong to start the third set, battling to take an 8-7 lead off a kill from freshman Chanielle Enomoto (Wailuku, Hawaii).  Erin McGloin then struck a kill to tie the set and stepped to the line for Salve Regina. The Seahawks would run off four more points thanks in large part to a number of attack errors on the Trailblazers part prompting another timeout for the visitors.  MCLA would stay within three but the Seahawks pulled away late on a 6-0 run eventually winning the set 25-18 to sweep the Trailblazers out of their first ECAC Tournament. 

On the night the Seahawks were led by Violet who spread the ball around nicely to her teammates while notching a match-high 23 assists. Duggan led the team in kills with nine and in digs with eight.  Tara Kuck, who was part of a couple long runs for the Seahawks, totaled five kills and two service aces, as well as a block. McGloin led the team with two solo blocks, and two assisted block, while knocking in seven kills. 

Senior libero Jacqueline Paluilis (Orange, Mass.) led the trailblazers with seven digs, two assist, and two service aces. Margaret Allen (East Patchogue, N.Y.) led with five kills, and added a dig and assisted on a block. Parent was the Trailbalazers assist leader with seven.

For MCLA its season is over. The Trailblazers tied a program record for win with 15 this season, but are still in search of their first playoff victory.

The Seahawks, now 21-10, will advance to the semifinal round to face Worcester State, whom the Seahawks have already faced this season, winning 3-1 over the Lancers on October 11. That match will be Saturday November 15 at 1 p.m.