Vassar Routs Clark, WestConn in Straight Sets

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Vassar College Women’s Volleyball team finished the Vassar Quad with a 3-0 record as the Brewers collected two sweeps over Clark, 25-16, 25-14, 25-9 and WestConn, 25-16, 25-23, 25-12, on Saturday afternoon at Kenyon Hall. Vassar improves to 3-1 overall on the season.

Vassar 3 Clark 0
First Set
Following a back-and-forth beginning to the match, Clark pulled ahead 11-7 on a block from Katelyn Williams and Winifred Gakidis.
Vassar answered with an 11 point run with first year Riley Huang at the service line as she landed three aces along with three kills from senior Maura McAusland.

Another five point run, led by an ace from McAusland and kills from junior Erin Lovett and senior Holland Kaplan, ballooned the lead to 24-13.

Three straight points from Clark got the Cougars within 24-16 before a Kaplan kill clinched the opening set.

Second Set
Vassar pulled ahead 6-2 to start the second set as senior T Petro registered two aces while Lovett and sophomore Elena Feuer each buried a kill.

The lead grew to 11-3 following kills from Kaplan, McAusland and senior Francesca Medrano and an ace from first year Sophia Ierulli.

Vassar’s advantage increased to 18-9 on two kills from Lovett, a winner from Feuer and a Medrano ace.

Isabella Alcott’s kill cut the deficit to 20-13 for Clark before two aces and a kill from Kaplan put the Brewers ahead 24-13.

Vassar earned a second set victory on a kill from McAusland.

Third Set
VC raced out to a 10-3 lead in the third stanza as Petro tallied three aces and Kaplan and Lovett each notched two kills.

Clark drew within 14-7 on a kill from Cadence Martin before the Brewers used two aces from sophomore Ellen Zwerling and a kill each from McAusland and first year Gina O’Connell to take a 18-7 lead.

Vassar earned the three set sweep following two Lovett kills, a winner from Feuer, a block from Feuer and sophomore Cayla Hoskins-Pfeiffer and two aces from Medrano.

For The Brewers
McAusland totaled 14 kills (.591), an ace and two digs while Lovett recorded 10 kills (.438) and two digs.

Kaplan registered eight kills (.353), two aces and four digs along with Feuer posted four kills and three blocks.

O’Connell added three kills and three blocks while Medrano notched 26 assists, three aces and six digs.

Petro finished with five aces and three digs along with Huang adding three aces and six digs.

For The Cougars
Alcott finished with seven kills and five digs while Gakidis chipped in four kills and two aces.

Ashley Moquin and Martin both buried four kills along with Williams totaling two kills, two blocks and seven digs.

Julia Dopazo handed out 12 assists and lifted six digs.

Vassar 3 WestConn 0
First Set
The Brewers went ahead 8-1 to begin the second match of the day as junior Eleanor Gegen buried two kills along with a kill and ace from McAusland.

Two kills from Taylor Thompson, a winner each from Kayla Proscia and Julia Stoliker and a block from Proscia and Arianna LaPointe put the Wolves within 11-7.

A seven point surge, led by two aces from Gegen, two kills from McAusland, a winner from O’Connell and a block from O’Connell and Ierulli, expanded the lead to 18-7.

WestConn got within 20-12 on a Hallie Robillard kill but the Brewers used a kill each from Lovett, O’Connell, Gegen and McAusland to take the opening set.

Second Set
VC held a 7-5 lead after an ace from Huang, a block from O’Connell and Lovett, and a winner each from Gegen and O’Connell.

WestConn gained a 10-9 lead after two Thompson kills but five straight points from Vassar, capped by two aces from sophomore Amy Melchior and two kills from McAusland, put VC ahead 14-10.

The lead ballooned to 22-15 on an ace from Petro but the Wolves pulled within a point on a kill from Sophia Siruchek at 24-23.

A winner from McAusland gave the Brewers a 25-23 second set victory.

Third Set
Vassar scored a 5-2 lead on two kills from O’Connell, a winner each from Ierulli and Gegen and an ace from McAusland.

The lead expanded to 10-3 on two aces from Huang and a kill from Gegen and then increased to 15-6 on a kill from Feuer.

The Brewers then pulled ahead 22-10 after consecutive blocks from O’Connell and Lovett.

Vassar completed the sweep after a kill from Zwerling, a solo block from Lovett and a block from O’Connell and Gegen.

For The Brewers
Gegen recorded a career-high 14 kills, two aces and seven digs while McAusland notched 10 kills (.360), three aces and 11 digs.

O’Connell finished with six kills and six blocks along with five kills and a block from Feuer.

Ierulli tallied 30 assists, nine digs and four kills while Lovett posted three kills and six blocks.

Huang registered 12 digs and three aces while Melchior landed three aces.

For The Wolves
Thompson finished with nine kills, two aces, two blocks and eight digs along with Robillard tallying eight kills.

Siruchek totaled five kills, two blocks and four digs while Julia Stoliker added three kills, two blocks and 13 digs.