BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — The Salve Regina University women's volleyball team delivered an impressive offensive performance Friday night, earning a 3-1 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy at Clean Harbors. The Seahawks claimed the first two sets and closed out the match with a decisive fourth-set win, taking the contest by scores of 25-16, 25-13, 25-27 and 25-15.
Salve set the tone early, combining efficient attacking with consistent pressure at the service line. The Seahawks hit .323 in the opening set before raising their efficiency to .364 in the second, building a commanding 2-0 lead.
Anouk Jansen led the Seahawks' attack with a match-high 21 kills on 51 attempts, hitting .314. Frankie Spadorcia added a standout performance with 14 kills on 23 attempts, finishing with an impressive .478 hitting percentage. Lauren Shurling contributed eight kills, while Sydney Hanlon recorded five kills and hit .385.
Massachusetts Maritime responded in the third set, edging Salve 27-25 to extend the match. The Seahawks regrouped in the fourth, however, and regained control with 12 kills and just three errors to secure the victory.
Salve's serving game proved to be another major difference. Cecelia Bronson led the team with five service aces, while Kirra Baker and Lily Dobbins each added three. The Seahawks finished with 14 aces compared with four for the Buccaneers.
Kate Andy and Kalena Stavish orchestrated the offense with 24 and 22 assists, respectively, helping Salve finish with 56 kills and a .268 team hitting percentage. Defensively, Dobbins and Gracy Spirito each recorded 10 digs, while Andy added nine.
The Seahawks also held a substantial statistical advantage, finishing with 56 kills to Massachusetts Maritime's 30 and 69 digs to the Buccaneers' 57. Salve's balanced attack and ability to respond after dropping the third set helped secure the four-set road win.
ON THE HORIZON:
Women's volleyball returns to Rodgers Recreation Center on Tuesday, October 13, to host Wheaton College in a NEWMAC match at 7 p.m.
