Blue Volleyball Opens Play at MIT Invitational

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Wellesley College volleyball opened play at the MIT Invitational on Friday evening at Brandeis, dropping a pair of matches to Colby College and Cabrini College to slip to 1-4 on the season. In the Blue's opening match, the Mules secured a 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-23) victory. In the nightcap, the Cavaliers earned a 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-22) sweep.

Colby 3, Wellesley 1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-23)

First year middle hitter Yasmine Reece (New Rochelle, N.Y.) registered a team-high 10 kills as the Blue dropped a 3-1 decision to Colby. Reece also added five solo blocks to lead the Blue at the net. Classmate Isabella Tighe (Kinnelon, N.J.) chipped in with eight kills for Wellesley, while junior Brooke Fieldman (Greenwood Village, Colo.) added six kills to go along with 10 digs. Sophomore Katie Yan (Cohoes, N.Y.) was the only other Wellesley player to finish in double-figures in kills, collecting a team-high 11 to go along with a team-high five service aces.

The Mules outpaced Wellesley to earn a 25-20 victory in the opening set before hanging on to edge the Blue by a 25-23 margin in the second frame. Wellesley countered in the third set, securing a 25-17 victory. In the end, Colby closed out the match in the fourth set, earning another 25-20 victory 

Cabrini 3, Wellesley 0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-22)

Despite a second 10-kill performance from Reece in match two, Cabrini earned a 3-0 sweep of the Blue. The Wellesley first year tacked on three digs and a pair of block assists, while Fieldman added seven kills and a team-high 19 digs against the Cavaliers. Yan returned to add 12 digs for the Blue, while sophomore Alina Mota (Glendora, Calif.) and first year Michelle Li (Scarsdale, N.Y.) each contributed five digs apiece. Li also paced the offense with 25 assists in the match. 

Cabrini stormed out to a 25-18 victory in the first set before earning a 25-16 win in the second set. Unlike the opening match, Wellesley was unable to rally to take the third game, as the Cavaliers closed out the match with a 25-22 victory. 

The Blue will continue play in the MIT Invitational on Saturday, shifting to the courts at MIT. Wellesley will face Endicott to open the day at 11:00 AM before closing out the tournament with a 3:00 PM match versus Edgewood.

Other Results From Friday at the MIT Invitational:

Matches at MIT

University of Scranton def. MIT, 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 28-26)
Edgewood College def. Babson College, 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-13)
MIT def. Edgewood College, 3-0 (25-16, 30-28, 25-17)
Babson College def. University of Scranton, 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-18) 

Matches at Endicott College
Endicott College def. Bates College, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-20)
Springfield College def. Bowdoin College, 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-16)
Bowdoin College def. Endicott College, (21-25, 29-27, 23-25, 25-22, 15-13)
Springfield College def. Bates College, 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-19) 

Matches at Brandeis University

Cabrini College def. Brandeis University, 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-10, 25-13)
Colby College def. Brandeis University, 3-1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20)

Click here for Saturday's schedule