Holmes & Matthews Power Golden Bears to 3-1 Win at Mount Holyoke

Holmes sets new career-high with 14 kills, Matthews matches career-best with 17

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (October 5, 2018) – The Western New England University volleyball bounced back from an opening set loss to earn a 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-21, 26-24) victory over Mount Holyoke College on Friday evening in non-conference action at Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium.

Top Performers
Junior outside hitter Ashley Matthews (Salem, N.H.) and junior middle blocker Cassandra Holmes (Ellington, Conn.) powered the Golden Bears, as Matthews matched her career-high with 17 kills and Holmes established a new career mark with 14 kills. Matthews also totaled nine digs and two aces, while Holmes recorded four blocks. 

Sophomore  setter Jenna McCormack (Nashua, N.H.) finished with 35 assists, and classmate Hailey McDonnell (Methuen, Mass.) posted a double-double with ten kills and ten digs.

Mount Holyoke was led by senior Jamesa Allen (Orlando, Fla.) and junior Sasha Simine (Kitchener, Ont.), who combined for 25 of the Lyons' 41 kills with 13 and 12, respectively.  

Game Review
Western New England, which led 16-13 midway through the opening set, fell victim to a 9-0 Mount Holyoke run as the Lyons claimed a 22-16 advantage on their way to a comeback win.

The Golden Bears rebounded with a 25-19 win in the second frame, before hitting a match-best .278 in set three en route to a 25-21 triumph.

In the fourth and final frame, Mount Holyoke established an early 6-3 lead and remained in front until an ace by McCormack knotted the score 21-21 at the conclusion of a 3-0 Western New England run. The Lyons responded with a 3-0 run of their own to take a 24-21 lead, but the Golden Bears scored four straight points to pull ahead 25-24 on a McDonnell kill before an ace by Matthews ended the match.

Notes
• Holmes has posted consecutive 10+ kill efforts and six overall this season. Her 141 kills rank second on the team behind Matthews (191).
• The Golden Bears hit .153 for the match, while the Lyons posted a .136 attack percentage.

Up Next
Western New England (7-12) returns home to host Smith next Wednesday, while Mount Holyoke (6-9) travels to Springfield College on Tuesday.