CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The No. 10 MIT women's volleyball team rallied to defeat Christopher Newport University, 25-17, 21-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-12, to wrap up the Boston Invitational and then the Engineers swept local foe UMass Boston, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16, in non-conference action on Saturday. For her performance during the Boston Invitational, senior
Ottavia Personeni (Bethesda, Md.) was named to the All-Tournament Team.
THE BASICS:
- Scores:
- No. 10 MIT 3, Christopher Newport 2 (25-17, 21-25, 17-25, 27-25, 15-12)
- No. 10 MIT 3, UMass Boston 0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-16)
- Records: No. 10 MIT (9-0 Overall), Christopher Newport (5-4 Overall), UMass Boston (6-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED – MATCH ONE vs. Christopher Newport:
- Set 1: MIT established an 18-9 lead following a kill by graduate student Ashley Margetts (Brownsburg, Ind.) and then went on to win the set, 25-17, on a hitting error by the Captains.
- Set 2: Two kills from graduate student Consecrata Rozario (Cary, N.C.), along with an ace by first-year Julia Tolstova (Redlands, Calif.) and a hitting miscue gave the Engineers an 11-8 edge. CNU responded with 12-4 run to reclaim the lead. MIT came within two points on two occasions, the last at 23-21 on a setting error. However, the Captains converted a kill and an ace to capture the win.
- Set 3: CNU jumped out to a 10-5 lead and maintained a small cushion throughout the set en route to a 25-17 victory.
- Set 4: The Engineers held a 20-16 advantage following a kill by first-year Jessie Trapp (Elmhurst, Ill.), however, the Captains put together a 6-1 spurt. Another kill from Trapp coupled with a setting error put MIT ahead, 23-22. Both teams traded points until a kill and an ace by Tolstova clinched the 27-25 win.
- Set 5: CNU recorded the first six points before going up 7-1 in the decisive set. The Engineers chipped away at the deficit and eventually took a 12-10 lead on a kill by Tolstova. The Captains countered with back-to-back kills, but MIT replied with a kill from sophomore Emma Hickman (Houston, Texas), an ace by Tolstova, and a block by Hickman and Margetts to secure the come-from-behind win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Tolstova generated 16 kills and five aces while Rozario posted 14 kills. Sophomore Kayleigh May (Camarillo, Calif.) registered 47 assists and two blocks as Personeni collected a match-high 21 digs. Margetts added 11 digs while junior Daphne Gavros (Bel Tiburon, Calif.) notched 10 digs, and five aces.
- This was the first meeting between both programs.
HOW IT HAPPENED – MATCH TWO vs. UMass Boston:
- Set 1: MIT won eight of the first nine points before cruising to a 25-15 win which was capped by an ace from sophomore Eileen Sadati (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.).
- Set 2: Knotted at six, a kill from first-year Jennifer Cen (Orland, Fla.) ignited a 17-4 run. UMass Boston picked up the next five points, but a kill by sophomore Peyton Brown (Parker, Colo.) and an ace by May secured another 25-15 victory.
- Set 3: A block brought the Beacons within 11-10, however, a block by sophomore Elise Echarte (Miami Beach, Fla.) and Trapp sparked a 14-6 match-ending run by the hosts.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Echarte finished with seven kills and four blocks as Sadati contributed six kills and three blocks. May dished out 18 assists while Tolstova earned five aces. Personeni led all players with 12 digs as Margetts and first-year Emery Fertic (Belleair, Fla.) both had four in one set.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will travel to NYU for the NYU Showdown beginning on Friday, September 20. The Engineers will open the weekend against UC Santa Cruz at 4:30 PM.
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