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VOLLEYBALL NOTCHES FIRST VICTORY OVER RAMS IN 3-2 BATTLE
The Mount Ida College women's volleyball team captured their first victory of the season over visiting Framingham State College by scores of 25-22, 25-18, 28-26, 25-22, and 15-7. The Mustangs improve to 1-2 overall while the Rams pull to 4-4 on the season.
Game one stayed close through its entirety with both teams holding the lead for consecutive points. The Mustangs led to open things up (6-3) after a service ace by sophomore Christine Gallart (Germantown, MD/St. John's College HS). The lead was maintained after another service ace from the hosts this time by junior captain Rachelle Gilbert (Corunna, IN/Dekalb). Framingham would come storming back and knot up the score (9-9) after consecutive errors by the Mustangs. It went back and forth for the next few sets until the visitors pulled up by four at 21-17 off another Mount Ida error. The Mustangs eventually retied the score at 21-21 following three Ram mistakes. The visitors ultimately scored the final three points to take the opening game advantage (25-22) leading the match 1-0.
Mount Ida came out hot in game two leading 11-7 after a kill by sophomore Devyn Frank (Mystic, CT/Fitch). The Rams came back strong going up 15-12 after a huge rally capped off on a block by senior Ashley Trudeau (Rockland, MA/Rockland). Mount Ida struggled to keep pace with the visitors watching Framingham State go ahead 20-15 after a slew of errors by the Mustangs. The Rams would seal the game two victory (25-18) after a monster kill by Trudeau leading 2-0 in the match.
It was neck and neck threw the first 10 points with the Rams holding a small 14-12 advantage after a big block from Trudeau to kick off game three. The visitors maintained their lead up 18-15 after another Trudeau kill. But the Mustangs never gave in tying the game at 18-18 on three consecutive kills by Frank. Mount Ida caught fire scoring six out of the next eight points leading 24-20. The Rams would not give in knotting things up at 25-25 after an error by the Mustangs. Mount Ida went on to score the final two points off kills from Gallart and senior Chelsea Darnell (Dublin, OH/Dublin Scioto) for the 28-26 overtime game three win trailing 2-1 in the match.
It was another grueling battle in game four with the visitors holding the opening advantage up 10-8 after a couple of errors by the hosts. Mount Ida eventually pulled ahead 13-12 after a solo block by Gallart. Framingham State regained the lead at 16-14 after a Mustang hitting error. Mount Ida retook the advantage immediately following up 18-17 after a Frank kill giving the hosts a lot of momentum. The Mustangs kept pouring it on up 22-19 on a kill from sophomore Jennifer Ferreira (Shirley, MA/Ayer). Mount Ida eventually captured the 25-22 game four win forcing a deciding gave five tying the match at 2-2.
The Mustangs never trailed in game five scorching the Rams from the opening point taking a commanding 9-5 advantage after multiple visiting errors. The Mustangs kept the momentum rolling and finally sealed an epic 15-7 game five win after trailing 2-0 to start converting the 3-2 match victory.
Mount Ida's back row tandem of sophomore's Michelle Begley (West Barnstable, MA/West Barnstable) and Alexa Piekarski (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) were outstanding with Begley adding 12 digs.
Gallart was superb chipping in a game high 13 kills with two solo blocks while Gilbert was also outstanding with 25 digs. Ferreira added eight kills while senior captain Kira Feeter (Keene, NH/Keene) notched 22 assists.
The Mustangs will head to the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth annual tournament this coming Friday through the weekend.
