Seahawks win three straight sets to down Corsairs 3-1

NEWPORT, R.I. – After dropping the opening set the Salve Regina University women's volleyball team won three straight to take a 3-1 victory over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference action Tuesday night at Rodgers Recreation Center.

The Seahawks have now won three in a row over the Corsairs and three of the last five meetings.

However it was the visitors who started the match strong. The Seahawks briefly led 6-4 before a 4-0 run from the Corsairs gave UMass an 8-6 lead; A lead that they would not surrender the remainder of the set.

The Seahawks drew within a point at 17-18 but a 6-0 run, the result of five Salve Regina errors, widened the gap once again. Erin Proctor (Canton,Mass.) kept the Seahawks alive with a kill, but on the next play Christina Spinazola (Medway, Mass.) ended the set on a setup from Eliza Bowes (West Yarmouth, Mass.) to give the Corsairs the 1-0 advantage.

The second began as a back and forth set with neither team able to gain any separation. After a Mackenzie Donald (Point pleasant Beach, N.J.) tied the set 13-13, senior Chrissy Fraga (Milford, Mass.) stepped to the service stripe and the Seahawks ripped off 11 straight points to take control of the set. The run ended on a service error, but the very next play Samantha Higgins (Coventry, R.I.) spiked home a feed from Proctor to end the set and even the match 1-1.

The Seahawks trailed most of the third set but were always within hailing distance, not allowing the Corsairs to build to big of a lead. After the Corsairs took a 15-11 lead, the largest of the set, the Seahawks responded with an 8-2 run to take a 19-17 lead. UMass drew within one after a Salve Regina attacking error, but the Seahawks scored five straight to finish off the set to take control of the match.

In the fourth things again were neck and neck into the late stages. The set was tied 15-15 but the Seahawks were able to go on small scoring spurts to slowly build a lead. Then a 5-0 run capped off by Higgins kill gave Salve Regina a 23-17, forcing the Corsairs to call for time.

The Corsairs hung in to make it 24-19 but Proctor, who was seeing her first action of her career for Salve Regina, took matters into her own hands and sealed the win for the Seahawks with a kill.

It was the second time this season that the Seahawks have dropped the opening set only to come back and win three straight.

Leading the way for the Seahawks was Kat Mendes (New Bedford, Mass.) who tallied 12 kills, 11 digs, and five aces. Meanwhile, freshman Erin Proctor in her first action of the season notched 32 assists along with five digs, four kills, and a service ace. Chrissy Fraga recorded 20 digs to lead all players.

Megan Ronaghan (North Attleboro, Mass.) led the Corsairs in kills with 11, while Spinazola led with 20 assists, and Brianna Perry (Acushnet, Mass.) had a team best 17 digs.

The Seahawks improve to 3-1 on the season and will next play on the road versus Johnson & Wales on September 11 at 5 p.m.

The Corsairs fall to 2-4 and will next be in action on September 10 against Mount Ida.