Volleyball Splits Tri-Match Hosted by Salem State

Volleyball Splits Tri-Match Hosted by Salem State

SALEM, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University volleyball team split a tri-match hosted by Salem State University on Saturday.

Bridgewater posted a 3-1 (25-23, 27-29, 25-23, 25-10) Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over the host Vikings and dropped a 3-0 (11-25, 16-25, 19-25) non-conference decision to Brandeis University.

The Bears see their record go to 7-21 on the season and 3-4 in the MASCAC. Bridgewater is seeded fifth in next week's MASCAC Tournament and will travel to #4 MCLA on Wednesday night for a seven o'clock first round matchup with the Trailblazers.

Junior outside hitter Kayla Baril (Seekonk, Mass.) notched 13 kills, 18 digs, a solo block and an ace in the win over Salem State, while junior setter Picabo Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.) registered 34 assists, 11 digs, a kill, an ace and an assisted block. Sophomore middle blocker Sarah Gibbons (Quincy, Mass.) added nine kills and a team-best .368 hitting percentage to go along with three solo blocks and an ace, while junior outside hitter Elizabeth Roberts (Swansea, Mass.) checked in with nine kills and a solo block, and freshman middle hitter Sydney Rice (Medway, Mass.) contributed seven kills and an assisted block. Junior libero Cassidy Tyros (Chelmsford, Mass.) rounded out the Bears' stat leaders with 18 digs and an ace.

Bridgewater recorded six blocks (five solo) in the match as well as six aces, but also recorded nine serving errors. Salem finished with 12 serving errors and just three aces. The Bears posted a .148 hitting percentage while the Vikings struggled on the attack with a .057 hitting percentage.

Sophomore right side hitter Morgan Adams (Scotia, N.Y) recorded 12 kills to lead the Vikings, while junior setter Mackenzie Salls (Turner Falls, Mass.) dished out 31 assists. Senior defensive specialist Olivia Swiatek (Rockland, Mass.) earned 15 digs.

In the 3-0 setback to Brandeis, Baril, Gibbons, freshman outside hitter Alexis Duarte (Fairhaven, Mass.) and sophomore middle blocker Shannon Grindle each finished with two kills, while junior setter Alyssa Kelly (Mansfield, Mass.) had seven assists and freshman outside hitter Abigail Gardner (Holden, Mass.) contributed 10 digs. Gibbons also added a pair of blocks (one solo), and Grindle registered an ace.

Sophomore middle hitter Emma Bartlett (Duxbury, Mass.) finished with 11 kills to pace the Judges, while junior setter Leah Pearlman (El Paso, Texas) had 15 assists and junior libero Yvette Cho (San Diego, Calif.) ten digs. Brandeis finished with 15 aces in the match led by four apiece from freshman setter Megan Osorio Moran (Hollywood, Fla.) and junior setter Marlee Nork (Chicago, Ill.). The Judges posted a .165 hitting percentage, while the Bears recorded more attacking errors (12) than kills (10).