Women's Volleyball 10/29/2024 7:46:00 PM

Geist, Molina Stuff Regis In Non-Conference Action, Deal Pride First Home Loss of 2024

Box Score WESTON, Mass. (October 29, 2024) – The Western New England women's volleyball team collected an important non-conference win on Tuesday night at Higgins Court, taking on the hosting Pride of Regis College. Taylor Geist and Yemayma Molina led Western New England in blocks, ending Regis's five-match win streak and handing Regis their first home loss of the season.

Records:

Western New England: 18-5
Regis College (Mass.): 19-7

How it Happened:

The Golden Bears took an early 3-1 lead in the opening set on kills from both Alissa Hawes and Isabelle Petty, who started strong against the Regis College Pride. Western New England's lead wouldn't exceed two points in the early stages, as Regis came back with four straight points to take a 6-4 advantage. The teams remained close, with neither team taking more than a two-point lead until the Golden Bears rattled off four consecutive points after being down 11-10, taking a 14-11 lead due to two straight attacking errors from Regis's Grace Fabiano. The Pride quickly made a comeback, tying the match at 16 and again at 17. WNE saw Léa Barber and Rachel Critz score kills while Barber and Yemayma Molina combined for a block to take a 20-17 lead late in the first set. After Regis closed the gap to 21-19, the Golden Bears sealed the opening set 25-19, with kills from Taylor Geist, Alissa Hawes, and Yemayma Molina. WNE recorded 15 kills in the first set.

Regis returned the favor in the second set, starting with a 3-1 lead, mirroring the Golden Bears' start in the opening set. As WNE did earlier, Regis allowed a quick comeback, with Ava Cariddi and Léa Barber collecting kills for the Golden Bears on assists from Taylor Geist. Western New England went on a run, winning five of the next six points to extend their lead to 12-8. Léa Barber scored another kill, while Regis struggled with four attacking errors during the sequence. The Pride got within one at 12-11, but Western New England responded with three consecutive points, including a kill from Yemayma Molina, while two more attacking errors doomed Regis. Regis got a service ace from Ayla Albers, and Grace Fabiano continued to lead the Pride with another kill before the Golden Bears took command of the second set with four straight points, extending their lead to 20-15, capped by a kill from Isabelle Petty. Regis again brought the score to 21-19, but the blue and gold finished off the set with two kills from Barber and a final kill from Molina, winning the second set 25-19 to take a 2-0 match lead. The second set saw the Golden Bears tally 11 more kills, while Regis committed 12 attacking errors and only managed six kills. WNE also recorded four blocks in the set.

The Golden Bears were on the board first in the third set due to a service error by the Pride, with their first lead coming at 4-3 when Ava Cariddi and Yemayma Molina combined for a block. Western New England then saw Regis take their largest lead of the match at three points, capitalizing on an attacking error by the Golden Bears. Regis maintained a two-point lead until the Golden Bears tied the match at 15 on another Regis attacking error, with Taylor Geist and Molina giving WNE a 16-15 lead on a block. Regis regained a two-point lead after Avery Mola delivered two straight service aces, putting the home team ahead 19-17. Looking to end the match in a sweep, the Golden Bears did just that, scoring eight of the final nine points. Isabelle Petty, Alissa Hawes, and Taylor Geist contributed significantly, with Geist finishing off the third set and the match with three straight service aces, leading to a 25-20 win in the third set and a 3-0 match victory. Western New England recorded 11 kills and only three attacking errors in the final set, hitting .235 from the floor. WNE also had three blocks and four service aces in the third set.

Inside the Lines:

Taylor Geist collected three kills on four total attacks in the victory for the Golden Bears while also tallying 29 set assists and four service aces without a service error. Geist also had four digs and two total blocks.
Alissa Hawes hit .184 from the floor, being the only Golden Bear to record double-digit kills, finishing with 12 on 38 total attacks.
Becca Mayer led the team with 22 digs, while Léa Barber was close behind with 19 digs in the match.
Western New England recorded 19 total blocks in the game, led by Yemayma Molina, who had two solo blocks and five block assists in the win.
Regis hit below .000 for the match, collecting 22 kills and 25 attacking errors.
Western New England ended Regis's five-game win streak and handed them their first home loss of the season.

Coaches Corner:

Impressed with the play of his senior middle blocker, Head Coach Matt Lein praised Yemayma Molina's play on Tuesday night. "Yemayma is a complete middle. She blocks, she's efficient offensively and she makes great scramble plays. I think the blocking is taking us to the next level and something we've really been focusing on in practice."
After three straight on the road, WNE returns home for an important CNE match on Saturday afternoon. The focus in practice will be simple said Lein. "Excited to have such a big CNE matchup at home on Saturday." said Lein. "Just continuing to focus on what made us successful today and hopefully transfer that in to Saturday."

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