Blue Volleyball Cruises Past Mount Holyoke to Improve to 7-0

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- Senior Michelle Li (Scarsdale, N.Y.) had a match-high 25 assists and 14 digs to lead Wellesley College volleyball to a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-17) victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday at Howard Gymnasium.

The Blue move to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, marking the best start to a season for the program since Wellesley opened the 2013 campaign at 8-0. The Lyons slip to 5-3 and are now 0-2 in the NEWMAC.

Senior Yasmine Reece (New Rochelle, N.Y.), sophomore Lauren Gedney (Huntersville, N.C.) and first year Nicole Doerges (San Marino, Calif.) each recorded seven kills for the Blue. Senior Ashley Peng (San Diego, Calif) added a match-high with five of Wellesley's 12 aces. The Blue have now racked-up 29 services aces in their last two matches.

Junior Sasha Simine (Kitchener, Ont.) put down seven kills to lead the Lyons, while seniors Sarah Caggiano (Leonardtown, Md.) and Jamesa Allen (Orlando, Fla.) each contributed six. Senior Cameron Graham (Sarasota, Fla.) added 13 digs to lead the Lyons on defense. Sophomore setter Brayden Walden (McKinney, Texas) added 20 assists in the setback.

Wellesley tallied 14 kills in the opening game, attacking .297 as a squad to race past the Lyons for a 25-13 victory. Wellesley opened the set with a 10-2 advantage before extending the advantage to 18-11. The Lyons scored back-to-back points to cut the deficit to 18-13 but the Blue scored the final seven points in the set to jump up 1-0 in the match.

The Blue fell behind 8-4 to open the second game, but quickly erased the deficit, as three kills from sophomore Darina Postupaka (Tinley Park, Ill.) and an ace from junior Meghan Shoop (Cypress, Calif.) knotted the score at 8-8. The Blue would go on to score 13 of the next 16 points to take a commanding 21-11 lead en route to a 25-16 set two win.

Wellesley capitalized on multiple Mount Holyoke errors in the third game, as the hosts hit -.069 in a 25-17 set three victory for Wellesley. The Blue built leads of 15-10 and 20-13 before closing out the 3-0 match final.

Both teams continue NEWMAC play on Tuesday at 7:00 PM. Wellesley will travel to Wheaton and Mount Holyoke will play at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.