Women's Volleyball Defeats Bay Path on Local Showdown at Home 3-1

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Volleyball team hosted Bay Path University for a non-conference match Tuesday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 3 (25, 24, 25, 25) | Bay Path University 1 (18, 26, 22, 8)
Records: Blazers 6-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Wildcats 4-5, 0-0 (YSCC - USCAA Division I)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first set would see Bay Path scoring first, but Elms would answer back with back-to-back kills from senior Alysha Izquierdo (Holyoke, Mass.) and junior Quiana Gibbs (Porterville, Calif.). The two local foes would then trade possession, with the Blazers scoring on kills by senior Angelica Marks (Miami, Fla.), Izquierdo, and Q.Gibbs, along with a block from junior Lilliana Simmons (Springfield, Mass.) and sophomore Olivia Rivera (Springfield, Mass.) to take a 13-7 lead. The Wildcats would bring the score to within two points, but with a kill by senior Jaylen Holman (Las Cruces, N.M.) and back-to-back kills from Marks, the Blazers would extend their lead. As the set neared its end, Bay Path would continue to add points to try to get back into the set, but Elms would capitalize on kills by Simmons, Izquierdo, and Q.Gibbs to win the set 25-18.

The second set would begin with an early 4-1 lead for the Wildcats. Elms would try to rally back with kills from Izquierdo and Q.Gibbs, along with a service ace by Marks, but Bay Path would hold onto their lead. As the set moved on, the Blazers would see service aces from Holman, graduate student Alyssa Moore (Ludlow, Mass.), and kills by Izquierdo, Q.Gibbs, Marks, and Simmons, along with a block from Izquierdo, to force a 24-24 tie, but the Wildcats would win the second set 26-24.

The third set would begin by Bay Path scoring the first point, but the Elms offense would control the narrative early, scoring six points with the assistance of three kills by Q.Gibbs and a kill from Marks. The two sides would trade possession, but kills by Simmons, Izquierdo, and Marks, along with a Simmons service ace, would help the Blazers extend their early lead in the set. But shortly thereafter, the Wildcats would go on a scoring run that would take the lead from Elms. This Bay Path lead would not last for long because the Blazers would then score seven straight points to take back the lead, with the help of back-to-back service aces from senior Alejandra Marin (Dorado, Puerto Rico) and kills by Marks, Simmons, and Holman. The Wildcats would try to create a second rally, but a kill by Simmons would secure the third set win for Elms, 25-22, and take a 2-1 set lead.

The fourth and final set of the match would start by the Blazers taking an early four-point lead, following kills by Q.Gibbs and Izquierdo and a service ace from Moore. Bay Path would try to create some offensive momentum, but the Elms offense would control the set, with the assistance of five kills by Marks, Simmons, and Izquierdo, along with back-to-back service aces from Marks and a pair of service aces by Holman, to win the set 25-8 and win the match three sets to one.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Q.Gibbs - 16 kills, 12 digs, and an assist.

• Haug - seven digs and an assist.

• Holman - 35 assists, 15 digs, three service aces, and two kills.

• Izquierdo - 12 digs, 10 kills, and a block.

• Mack - a block.

• Marin - two service aces.

• Marks - nine kills, three service aces, two digs, and an assist.

• Moore - 18 digs, four assists, and two service aces.

• Rivera - a block assist.

• Simmons - 11 kills, four digs, a service ace, and a block assist.

UP NEXT: The Elms Women's Volleyball team will return to action on Wednesday, September 24th in New Haven, Conn. against Albertus Magnus College for their conference opener at 7 pm.

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