MILTON, Mass. – The Curry College women's volleyball team swept its tri-match with Eastern Nazarene College and Bay Path University by finals of 3-1 (25-27, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19) and 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-23) respectively, on Saturday afternoon at the Katz Gymnasium. The Colonels improve to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) while the Lions move to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in the CCC The Wildcats closed the day with a 5-5 record overall record.
Match One-Curry 3, Eastern Nazarene 1 (25-27, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19)
Curry captured three straight sets after dropping the opening frame 27-25 with victories in sets two through four of 25-17, 25-19, and 25-19. Nicole Rice (Woburn, Mass.) the way for Curry with 13 kills. Caroline Kilduff (Rockland, Mass.) added eight kills while Grace Stafford (West Yarmouth, Mass.) chipped in with six kills. Monica Wilkes (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) dished out 27 assists to fuel the offense, while Courtney Carroll (Fairhaven, Mass.) led the defense with 18 digs on the match.
The Lions were led by Courtney McCarthy (Merrimack, N.H.), who paced the visitors with 13 kills. Jenna Meacham (Millington, Mich.) and Hailee Owen (South Portland, Maine) added five kills apiece. Kayla Dean (Lansdale, Pa.) registered a team-high 26 assists and led the defense with 10 digs.
Eastern Nazarene started the opening set quickly, jumping out to a 12-2 lead. Curry was able to come back late in the set and tie the frame at 22 when Stafford served up an ace. The squads traded 3-0 runs over the last six points as the Lions took the first set by a final of 27-25 on a kill by Meacham.
The Colonels responded at the beginning of the second stanza, taking 10 of the first 12 points. Eastern Nazarene would pull to within as close as five points late but Curry capped off the set with a kill by Rice to tie the match at one set apiece with a 25-17 score.
The third set was all Colonels in the early going, as they were able to grab an 11-3 lead. The Lions came back in the set and was able to tie the set at 17. Curry closed the frame on an 8-2 run to take the third set by a 25-19 final.
The squads traded the first 24 points of the fourth set before either could grab the advantage. Curry was able to grab a six-point lead (22-16). Back-to-back service aces by Shea Mathews (Concord, N.H.) gave the Colonels the victory in the fourth frame and the match by a 3-1 final.
Match Two– Curry 3, Bay Path 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-23)
Curry took the final match of the day, downing Bay Path University in straight sets. The Colonels were led by Rice, who finished with 13 kills. Wilkes handed out 29 assists and Stafford put up 17 digs.
The Wildcats were paced by Cears with 10 kills and Ashlee Connors (Springfield, Mass.) with 18 assists. With 17 digs, Cears recorded a double-double.
The Colonels were able to close each of the sets strong with late runs to avoid going further than three sets. Curry closed the first set on a 10-2 run to take the opener, 25-15.
The Colonels finished the second set on a 5-2 run to take the stanza, 25-21.
Curry erased a four-point deficit in the third with a 6-1 run to take the set 25-23 and the match in straight sets.
The Colonels will remain at home for their next contest in a matchup with Endicott College on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.