Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--The Western New England University women's volleyball team used a strong blocking scheme to sweep visiting Worcester State 26-24, 25-14, 25-15 in a non-conference match-up on Thursday evening at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house. The Golden Bears improve to 20-8 overall, clinching back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2002-04 and only the second occurrence since the program was founded in 1993. The Lancers dip to 7-18 despite topping WNE in digs, 67 to 63.

Devyn Frank led the WNE offense with match highs of 13 kills and a .423 attack percentage, and Tyler Singh and Grace Kucharski spearheaded the defense with six total blocks and 24 digs--both figures leading all players. Singh also recorded seven kills (.375) to lead the Golden Bears to a season's best 11 team blocks on 22 block assists. Frank added five blocks.

"It's exciting to get another 20-win season under our belt, especially considering we have yet to reach our full potential as a team this season," said WNE coach Bret Stothart said after the match. "We're learning from every match we play and we'll take the lessons learned tonight, and move forward with our eyes set on our last conference match this Saturday (against Wentworth), knowing three days later the playoffs arrive and it is our last opportunity to accomplish what we set out to do 2-and-a-half months ago."

The Lancers were led by Alyssa Jasper who had nine kills, Gina Battista had a double-double with 16 assists and 10 digs, and Vicki O'Brien notched 16 digs.

Western New England did everything it could to frustrate Worcester State offensively, holding the Lancers to a minus-.032 attack percentage. And the Golden Bears' blocking had something to do with that as eight players recorded at least one block assist.

The opening set was closely contested while featuring nine ties and five lead changes. The Lancers jumped out to a 5-1 lead on the strength of three kills from Jasper. Western New England eventually tied it 10-all as neither team could muster more than a three-point lead after that. Worcester State took a 24-23 lead on a Golden Bears attack error, but the Lancers couldn't close it and ended the frame with three errors--two on the attack, one ball-handling--of their own.

A Worcester State ball handling error gave WNE a 6-5 lead in the second set and the Golden Bears never trailed to win by 11 points.

In the third set, the Lancers held a 4-2 advantage after a WNE hitting miscue. Then with the score tied 5-5, Jenna Leuck came in to serve for the Golden Bears who reeled off four straight points on Worcester attack errors caused by two block assists apiece from Jessica Sincero and Frank, taking control at 9-5. The lead quickly ballooned to 16-7 and WNE was never threatened after that.

Western New England had 8 team blocks versus Westfield State on Oct. 5 and also against Simmons on Aug. 31.

The Golden Bears will have their regular-season finale at home on Saturday (1 p.m.) with CCC opponent Wentworth coming to town for Senior Day.