WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Senior Kelsey Collasius (Rochester, Mass.) had 23 kills to power BridgewaterState to a 3-1 (30-14, 24-30, 30-23, 30-25) victory over Westfield State in the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) volleyball tournament championship game on Nov. 3. With the championship victory, Bridgewater (17-18) earns a bid the NCAA Division III Tournament that begins on Nov. 8. This marks the Bears' ninth consecutive MASCAC postseason tournament title as well as the program's ninth straight trip to the national tournament.

Westfield finishes its season 15-15. The Owls were the tournament's No. 1 seed as they captured the MASCAC regular season championship with a 3-0 victory (32-30, 30-22, 30-20) at Bridgewater State on Oct. 23. But in the postseason tournament championship match, the Bears came up with the big plays and controlled the Owls at the net. Bridgewater had 65 kills in the match to Westfield's 38.

At the tournament, Collasius surpassed Kristin Prokopas as the Bears' all-time leader in kills as she now has 1,751 for her career. Prokopas tallied 1,708 kills from 2000 to 2003.  Freshman Natalie Cohen (Marston Mills) contributed 14 kills in the winning effort. Senior Erica Kelley (Billerica) had 51 sets and freshman Marissa Pita (Hyannis, MA) had 24 digs.

Bridgewater jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the first game and coasted to its 30-14 victory. In game two, Westfield jumped out to an 8-1 lead and held on for a 30-24 triumph. Sparked by the serving of senior Elissa Genereux (Belchertown) and hitting of senior Morgan Hosking (North Reading), the Owls scored the game's final five points.  With the score tied at 19-all in the third game, the Bears went on a 7-1 run for a 26-20 edge. Westfield drew to within three, 26-23, on a Hosking kill, but Bridgewater ran off the final four points led by two kills from Collasius, who was named the MASCAC Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Westfield jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the fourth game, but Bridgewater went on a 10-3 run for a 15-13 advantage. Trailing 21-20, the Bears went on a 4-0 run with Pita serving for a 24-21 lead. The Owls closed to within a point, 25-24, but they were then outscored 5-1, including several Collasius kills.  Hosking led Westfield with 14 kills and Genereux had 27 assists and four service aces in the championship match.

Westfield advanced to the title game with a 3-0 (30-11, 30-17, 30-21) semifinal victory over No. 4 seed Worcester State in Saturday's first match. Hosking and sophomore Alyssa Thibodeau (Belchertown) had 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Genereux was credited with 38 assists.

In the other semifinal match, Bridgewater bested Framingham State, 3-1 (30-15, 30-16, 30-32, 30-18).  Collasius also had 23 kills in this match and Kelly contributed 42 assists. Also playing well were: sophomore Alyssa Grimes of Acushnet (12 kills), Allison Hibbard (11 kills), and junior Elsa Apostoli of Natick (seven service aces).

SEMIFINALS

Westfield State defeated Worcester State, 3-0 (30-11, 30-17, 30-21)

Bridgewater State defeated Framingham State, 3-1 (30-15, 30-16,

30-32, 30-18)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Bridgewater State defeated Westfield State, 3-1 (30-14, 24-30, 30-23, 30-25)