Seahawks Use Balanced Attack, Down WNE in Straight Sets

NEWPORT, R.I. (October 26, 2022) – The Western New England women's volleyball team had a road CCC game where they lost to the Salve Regina Seahawks in three setter.

• Western New England: 15-12, 3-5 CCC
• Salve Regina University: 14-9, 5-3 CCC

How It Happened: A ball handling error for Salve Regina put Western New England on the scoreboard first. Salve earned the first game kill. Yemayma Molina put the first WNE kill down, and the Golden bears were up 4-1 until a serving error. Two kills from Molina and Sarah Scott put them back ahead four. Salve scored five in a row to take the lead 9-8. Four consecutive for the Golden Bears gave them back the advantage, 12-9. The Seahawks scored twice then served into the net. That lead to a service ace from Scott. After scoring went back-and forth for a few plays, Salve fought out four in a row to tie up the set. Scott had two kills that regained the Golden Bears the lead, but a couple of errors gave it right back to the Seahawks who now were ahead 23-21. Alissa Hawes smashed a kill down for WNE. It was followed by a kill from the Seahawks and an error for the Seahawks to take set one 25-22.

Salve scored first again in set two. They go for two more points until a service error put the Golden Bears on the scoreboard. Two more from the Seahawks gives them a 5-1 lead. Attack errors gave WNE some points to catch up, but Salve didn't let up and went for three more in a row to be ahead 8-3. Proceeding a net violation for Salve, they gain three more points for a huge lead of 11-4. WNE scored five in a row mostly due to Seahawks' attack errors for the Golden Bears to bring it within two of Salve, 12-10. After a very good volley with great saves, a setting error gave a point away to Salve Regina. WNE gained their first set lead after a kill from Molina and two attack errors from the Seahawks, but salve tied it right back up and went ahead by three 19-16 with three kills and an ace. After a few score, a kill from Scott takes the lead back for the Golden Bears 22-21. Another serving error evens it up and gave the ball back to Salve. The Golden Bears force set-point and their errors let the Seahawks deuce it. Liz Long with a great kill but Salve returned two of their own and a WNE attack error concluded set two with Salve still in the lead after winning 27-25.

Salve slammed down the first two kills of the set and then served it out of bounds. The Golden Bears advanced ahead 4-3 and the Seahawks evened it up and went ahead.  WNE got it back even at 5-5. Salve took a three-point lead with a small run. Following a kill from Hawes, WNE tied it at 8-8, and a Scott ace for the lead with a seven-point run for the Golden Bears, 11-8. A kill, an ace, and a block from the seahawks tie the score back up. There were a few plays that resulted in tied scores until another small run for the Seahawks put them back on top 22-17. The Golden Bears earned one more score before Salve finished the set after two attack errors from WNE, 25-18, to win in a close out match.

Inside the Numbers:

• The Golden Bears concluded the match with 32 kills, 27 assists, 49 digs, and two blocks while hitting .067 percent.
• The Seahawks ended the match with 38 kills, 37 assists, 56 digs and four blocks, while hitting .183 percent
• Sarah Scott led the Golden Bears with 14 kills, 10 digs, two aces, and one block.
• Liz Long contributed with 14 digs, and Taylor Geist added 18 assists.

Up Next: The Golden Bears continue with conference play for their next game where they will host the University of New England Nor' Easters for their Senior Day Celebration and last regular season game before the post season. They game will start at 12 p.m.