QUINCY, MASS. – The Colby-Sawyer women's volleyball team dropped two hard fought matches against Regis College and Eastern Nazarene College at the ENC tournament over the weekend.
 
The Basics

Score: Colby-Sawyer 1, Regis 3
Score: Colby-Sawyer 1, Eastern Nazarene 3
Records: Colby Sawyer (3-3) | Regis (1-3)
Records: Colby Sawyer (3-4) | Eastern Nazarene (3-5)
Location: Quincy, Mass.
 
Rapid Recap (Regis)
 

• A kill by junior Olivia Werner (Williston, VT) put the Chargers on the board after Regis came out strong with two kills, a Charger attacking error, and a service ace that quickly put the Pride in the lead 4-1. Another kill by Werner, assisted by senior Anna Allen (Los. Angeles, CA) makes the score 4-2. A Regis serving error interrupts what could have been a five-point run to put the Chargers at three. Two Pride kills later and a robust kill by freshman Shaelyn Thornton (Scarborough, ME) marks it at 8-4, Regis. A three-point run by Regis is accomplished which included a serving error, a serving ace, and an attacking error. The score is now 11-4 and a Charger timeout is called. After some words from head coach Cailyn Straubel, a breathtaking kill by senior Sam Mohammed (Killingworth, Conn.) was administered and a ball handling error by a Regis player positioned the Chargers at six. Regis is then awarded a point after a serving error by Colby-Sawyer which was quickly redeemed by Mohammed with another Allen assisted kill. Stuck at seven, the Chargers allow the Pride to reach 15 with a couple of kills and an attacking error. Both teams go point-for-point until the Pride leaps into the 20's and closes the set with two attacking errors, a service error, a kill followed by a serving ace and then finished with a kill leaving Colby-Sawyer at 13, and taking the first set.
• After a disappointing first set, the Chargers headed into the second set with a little bit more of a drive. A strong kill by Thornton assisted by Allen starts the set as it is matched by a Regis kill. Thornton and Allen quickly answer back with another forceful kill to give the Chargers the lead. The Chargers, fueled by the momentum, go on a five-point run to give themselves a 6-1 lead. Regis responds with a kill and an attacking error in efforts to catch up but an error and a serving ace by freshman Audra Fontes (Fresno, Calif.) sets the score at 8-3, Colby-Sawyer. Two straight kills by Regis improves their score to five in which they are held at for the next four points of the set, two of those being at the hands of freshman Makaila Blinne (Palm Bay, Fla.) who earned herself two kills. The remainder of the match follows the point-for-point theme until a four-point run by the Chargers launched them into the 20's, leaving the Pride at 12. Timeout Regis. As the ball switches from side to side, point-for-point, the Chargers reach 25 as they take set number two 25-16.
• Going into the third set tied 1-1, both teams brought out their big guns in an effort to take the lead. Chargers start the set with a Blinne kill, Allen assisted and an attacking error to give them a 2-0 lead which was quickly diminished by a five-point Regis run. The next six points of the match were all constructed by major kills coming from both sides, two of those coming from junior Ameesah Cotton (Newburgh, NY). The Chargers showed great effort to catch up, but fall short making the score now 10-9, Regis. The Pride, worried of losing their lead, go on a five-point run to separate themselves. A kill by Thornton and an attacking error gives the Chargers two more. Then, after a Colby-Sawyer timeout, a Regis kill interferes with a Charger six-point run to make the score 22-18, Regis. A kill places the Pride at 23 and a serving error puts the Chargers at 19. The Chargers showed grit but it just wasn't enough to stop the Pride from finishing the set victoriously after two unstoppable kills. The Chargers unfortunately drop set three.
• Regis did not let off the gas as they began the fourth set with three kills and an attacking error to set the score 4-1, Regis. Point after point, kill after kill, the score is tied at seven for the first time all game. Two attacking errors follow, one for each side to tie it up at eight. Two more points are awarded to the Pride which were very quickly answered back with two points for the Chargers. A Regis kill sparks up a four-point run leaving Colby-Sawyer stuck at 10. After two Thornton kills, each assisted by Allen and a Regis kill the score moves to 15-12, Regis. With three kills, a serving ace, and an attacking error, the Pride reached 20 before the Chargers can leave 12. Timeout Colby-Sawyer. A huge block by Cotton and Blinne give the ball to the Chargers. However, four straight attacking errors and a serving ace propel the Regis Pride to 25 and the game is officially over leaving the overall score 3-1, Regis.

 
Rapid Recap (Eastern Nazarene)
 

• Thornton began with a powerful kill which was quickly countered by a Lions kill to start the match 1-1. A kill by junior Mia Harmon (Concord, NH) and two back-to-back serving aces gave the Chargers a lead. The Lions answered with a five-point run consisting of two kills, two attacking errors, and a serving ace to put them at six. A kill by Blinne rained on the Lions parade and stopped their run. Points flew from side-to-side and another kill by Blinne set the score tied at seven. Both the Chargers and the Lions went point-for-point until three straight kills by Eastern Nazarene earned them a 14-11 lead. Time out Colby-Sawyer. Two kills, an attacking error and a serving ace provided the Lions with four additional points to get them to 18. The Chargers quickly stole the momentum with an embracing kill by Blinne, kill by Mohammed and a tremendous block by both Blinne and Mohammed to force the score to 18-17, Lions. As both teams battled to reach 25, a Werner kill, an attacking error, and a Thornton kill collectively shot the Chargers into the lead, 22-20. However, those plays were not enough to stop the Lions from taking the first set 25-22.
• A kill for both Thornton and Harmon started set number two. Junior Kaytlin Young (Goffstown, NH) was substituted in and quickly tied the game up at five with an Allen assisted kill. An opposing kill and an attack error moved the score 6-6. The next six points of the set went as such – kill, kill, kill, attack error, kill, kill – which were all in favor of the Lions making the score now 12-6. Luckily for the Chargers, a kill by Thornton and three straight attacking errors by the Lions, Colby-Sawyer reached 10. Another three straight kills and a serving ace separated the Lions from the Chargers as they advanced to 20, leaving the Chargers at 14. Colby-Sawyer was given two more points due to lions serving errors but failed to reach 25, dropping the second set 25-16.
• Both the Lions and Chargers came out swinging in the beginning of the third set. Going point-for point until the score was tied at four, the Chargers saw an opportunity after a serving error and ran with it, putting up four points back-to-back. The Chargers then decide to break the tie by supplying three straight kills. A kill, this time by Allen started the point-for-point game for both sides starting at 22-20, Chargers. An attacking error for the Lions, 22-21. Another attacking error this time for the Chargers, 23-21. Kills for both Thornton and Harmon keep the Chargers alive to see another set.
• The Chargers came off their third set win still hot as they put up three with two kills and an ace. The Lions responded with a four-point run to take the lead 5-3. An attacking error by the Lions gave the Chargers the ball in which they lose due to their own attacking error. A ball handling error from the Chargers gave the Lions another point as the score moved to 7-4. A kill by both Mohammed and Blinne set the Chargers up at six while a serving error by Harmon put the Lions at eight. Points began to go back and forth as the Chargers struggled to catch up to the Lions. After two back-to-back kills by Harmon, the Lions would have had a seven-point run if Blinne hadn't interrupted it with a forceful kill. With the game now at 22-14, a kill, a ball handling error, and another kill propelled the Lions to victory and the Chargers come home with a tough loss.

 Notes & Notables

• Allen had a team-high 67 assists on the day.
• Thornton lead the team with 23 kills in the two games.
• As a group the Chargers had 143 digs.

 
Up Next:
The Chargers come home to play Middlebury College on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.