SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Western New England College women's volleyball team posted a thrilling 3-2 victory over Western Connecticut to claim top honors at its own WNEC Invitational Saturday afternoon (Sept. 12) at the Alumni Healthful Living Center. The game scores were 25-22, 13-25, 25-21, 20-25, and 15-11.

The victory gave the Golden Bears a perfect 4-0 mark in the two-day tournament and raised the team's record to 6-3.

It also avenged a 3-2 loss to the Colonials last Saturday at the WestConn Invitational.

Western Connecticut took a quick 4-0 lead in the fifth game before WNEC came back to tie the score. The Colonials won the next three points before the Golden Bears again came back to knot the contest

WestConn took its final lead at 11-10 before Western New England College scored the final five points for the win.

Junior setter Katharina Boes (Buffalo Grove, IL) was the Tournament MVP after totaling 70 assists in two matches today, including 36 against the Colonials.

Senior outside hitter Rachel Cervone (West Springfield, MA) totaled 16 kills to earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Earlier, Western New England College blanked Newbury 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, and 25-13).

WestConn sophomore libero Kelley Collins (Massapequa, NY) also made the All-Tournament Team along with Westfield State senior outside hitter Stephanie Bartkus (North Merrick, NY), Newbury sophomore outside hitter Tricia Corriveau (Coventry, RI), and Bay Path junor libero Davi Chuong (Easthampton, MA).

Collins had 26 digs against the Golden Bears and 15 digs in a 3-0 victory over Bay Path. Junior outside hitter Natalie Crosby (East Haven, CT) had a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs against WNEC.

WestConn won three of four matches in the tournament to improve its record to 6-3 under coach Greg Poole who directed the WNEC program from 1997-2005.

Results from Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009

WNEC 3, Newbury 0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-13)
WNEC - Rachel Cervone (10 kills, 2 service aces), Lauren Landri (7 kills), Katharina Boes (34 assists, 2 service aces), Marci Egbert (5 digs).
Newbury - Tricia Corriveau (4 kills, 1 service ace), Sara Hanna (3 kills).

Westfield State 3, Bay Path 0 (25-20, 25-9, 25-15)
Westfield State - Rachel Ryan (10 kills, 5 service aces), Meredith Howard (7 kills), Angela Marguet (7 kills, 15 digs), Kerin DeGirolamo (26 assists), Brittany Dussault (6 service aces), Ally Rannikko (2 solo blocks).
Bay Path - Ashley Cimmino (3 kills), Nadine Harkless (8 digs), Julie Atamansky (2 blocks).

Westfield State 3, Newbury 0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-12)
Westfield State - Alex Shaw (12 kills), April Gordon (10 kills, 4 blocks including three solo), Stephanie Bartkus (12 digs), Alyssa Stankowksi (6 service aces).
Newbury - Kerri McAuley (2 kills).

Western Connecticut 3, Bath Path 0 (25-9, 25-17, 25-9)
Western Connecticut - Vic Rubits (8 kills), Kelley Collins (15 digs), Mickey Ghannam (13 assists).
Bay Path - Nadine Harkless (5 kills), Davi Chuong (8 digs), Ashley Cimmino (2 blocks).

Newbury 3, Bay Path 2 (25-11, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25, 15-7)
Newbury - Tricia Corriveau (10 kills), Sara Hanna (6 kills).
Bay Path - Nadine Harkless (8 kills, 15 digs), Davi Chuong (15 digs), Ashley Provost (13 assists).

Championship match
WNEC 3, Western Connecticut 2 (25-22, 13-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-11)
WNEC - Rachel Cervone (16 kills), Caroline Bitters (8 kills), Katharina Boes (36 assists), Marci Egbert (10 digs, 3 service aces), Samantha Shomo (11 digs).
Western Connecticut - Natalie Crosby (10 kills, 12 digs), Kelley Collins (26 digs), Sammie Hathaway (41 assists).

Tournament MVP - Katharina Boes (WNEC).

All-Tournament Team - Rachel Cervone (WNEC), Kelley Collins (Western Connecticut), Stephanie Bartkus (Westfield State), Tricia Corriveau (Newbury), Davi Chuong (Bay Path).

WNEC Invitational Records: WNEC 4-0, Western Connecticut 3-1, Westfield State 2-2, Newbury 1-3, Bay Path 0-4.

Overall Team Records: WNEC 6-3, Western Connecticut 6-3, Westfield State 5-5, Newbury 4-3, Bay Path 0-5.

Results from Friday, Sept. 11, 2009

WNEC 3, Westfield State 1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 25-14)
WNEC - Rachel Cervone (12 kills, 9 digs), Samantha Shomo (10 kills, 8 digs, 3 service aces), Katharina Boes (33 assists), Marci Egbert (8 digs).
Westfield State - Stephanie Bartkus (13 kills), Katie Kurty (22 digs), Alex Shaw (8 kills), April Gordon 4 blocks, 3 solo), Kelsey Leonard (4 blocks)

Western Connecticut 3, Newbury 0 (25-7, 25-16, 25-9)
Western Connecticut - Danielle Spangler (11 kills, 6 service aces with 5 in a row in the second game), Kelley Collins (17 assists), Sammie Hathaway (20 assists).
Newbury - Sara Hanna (3 kills), Tricia Corriveau (3 digs).

WNEC 3, Bay Path 0 (25-8, 25-8, 25-12)
WNEC - Jennifer Mears (5 kills), Rachel Cervone (4 kills), Katharina Boes (15 assists, 6 services ace with five in game one).
Bay Path - Ashley Provost (14 assists), Davi Chuong (10 digs).

Western Connecticut 3, Westfield State 2 (25-20, 25-27, 23-25, 25-13, 15-10)
Western Connecticut - Sammie Hathaway (season high 55 assists), Becca Stein (15 kills), Michelle Hearns (15 kills), Kelley Collins (31 digs).
Westfield State - Kerin DeGirolamo (22 digs), Stephanie Bartkus (13 kills), Alex Shaw (8 kills), April Gordon (4 blocks, 3 solo), Kelsey Leonard (4 blocks).

Team Records after Friday: Bay Path 0-2, Newbury 3-1, Western Connecticut 5-2, Western New England College 4-3, Westfield State 3-5.