BOSTON, Mass. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's volleyball team battled hard but fell to UMass Boston in a Little East Conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Clark Athletic Center in Boston.
The Basics
Final Score: UMass Boston 3, VTSU Castleton 0
Location: Clark Athletic Center – Boston, Mass.
Records: UMass Boston 12-11, 4-2 LEC | VTSU Castleton 11-13, 0-6 LEC
How It Happened
After UMass Boston opened with five straight points, Castleton finally settled in with a kill from Kaitlyn Chapman off an assist from Alondra Rojas. Lilli Burrows added a pair of kills later in the set, with Rojas contributing a service ace to help Castleton find some rhythm. Despite the push, UMass Boston's offense continued to dominate as Paige Coulson and Mya Perron powered the Beacons to a commanding lead. Castleton's defense worked to slow the pace, but a pair of late service aces and kills from the Beacons closed out the set 25-9.
The Spartans matched the Beacons point-for-point throughout the frame, showing resilience after UMass Boston opened the match with a lead. Castleton had key kills from Brianna Walsh to get the momentum going and were able to take advantage of multiple Beacon errors, bringing the score to a tense 21-21 late in the set. UMass Boston called a timeout to regroup and reclaimed the lead after two service aces and a pair of attack errors by the Spartans, ending the set 25-21.
A fast-paced third set saw Castleton trying to climb back into the match, but early attack errors by the Spartans allowed UMass Boston to pull ahead. The Beacons led a strong and aggressive attack with several service aces and kills. Attack errors from the Beacons and a pair of kills from Rojas briefly gave the Spartans hope, but each time they closed in, the Beacons responded back. Players off the bench, including Madison Sheehan and Burrows sparked small rallies, but UMass Boston's consistency and finishing ultimately closed the set 25-9.
By the Numbers
- Burrows led the Spartans with five kills, with three other Spartans tallying three kills apiece.
- Delia Roulston totaled three service aces, and Rojas had one.
- Both teams had 16 attack errors.
- UMass Boston had a .211 hitting percentage with 12 aces, seven blocks, and 39 kills.
What's Next
The Spartans will return home for a conference matchup against University of Southern Maine on November 1, where they will celebrate their lone senior at 11 AM in Glenbrook Gymnasium.
