Box Score WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior outside hitter
Sydney Johnson posted a career-high 16 kills while making just four errors to help the Keene State College women's volleyball team coast to a 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-22) victory over Worcester State University Tuesday night at Brissette Court.
Records
- Keene State: 9-3
- Worcester State: 3-9
How It Happened
Keene State will head into their conference opener on Saturday with momentum, having won nine of their past ten sets during a three-game winning streak. They had hit .172 or lower in three consecutive matches, but posted marks of .315 in Saturday's second match against Johnson & Wales University and .289 tonight, racking up 85 kills against just 23 errors in those two matches. The Owls were rarely threatened this evening against a team that has struggled to begin 2021, having lost nine of their first 12 matches, and in fact did not trail in either of the opening two sets. In the first, a WSU serving error followed by two consecutive spikes from Johnson had the Owls up 8-4 quickly. The Lancers briefly got within two at 12-10, but KSC then went on an 11-3 burst to open up a double-digit lead. It was 18-13 when the Owls put up five consecutive points, four on kills, including three in a row by Johnson. Keene State was well on their way, and ultimately tallied 12 of the final 15 points in the first set.
The serving of
Kacie Blanchet, a strength over the course of the young season, was on display to start the second frame, as the Owl sophomore dialed up three aces within the first four points for a 4-0 KSC lead. Keene State used their offense to start pulling away, as a pair of kills apiece by Johnson and
Cassidy Samuelson made it 10-5. Three spikes in a four-point span by three different Owls (Blanchet, Samuelson,
Kelsey Harper) pumped the advantage to 17-10, and
Elizabeth Johnson's service ace made it 19-11. Worcester State used a 5-1 run to stay within shouting distance at 22-17, but that is all it was, as Blanchet helped
Elizabeth Johnson and Samuelson ring up kills on KSC's final two points of the 25-19 set win.
Keene State racked up double-digit kills in every set and hit .351 and .375 in the opening two, committing just four errors total. The Lancers had six miscues in all three sets and were overall outhit .289 to .117. The Owls had to dig out of a hole to finish off their seventh sweep of 2021, as Worcester jumped in front 11-5 to start the third set and eventually led by seven (17-10) after consecutive KSC errors.
Ali McLoughlin righted KSC's sputtering attack, as she put down three kills in a four point span (with Blanchet getting the other) to cap off an 8-0 surge that put the Owls in front. A brief hiccup in the Keene State momentum allowed the Lancers to nudge back in front 22-21 after consecutive errors, but Sydney and
Elizabeth Johnson put down three kills as KSC finished the match by scoring the final four points. After leading 17-10, Worcester State managed just one more kill over the rest of the match while the Owls had nine, and were outscored 15-5.
McLoughlin finished with 10 kills on .348 hitting for KSC. Ever consistent, Blanchet filled the statsheet with 36 assists, nine digs, three kills, and three aces.
Sarah Williams had 17 digs. Natalie Gillis paced Worcester State with 11 kills and 15 digs, but her team fell to 2-5 at home this season.
Service Aces
- The Owls have dominated the series, winning 20 of 21 matches, 15 in straight sets.
- Blanchet entered the match 29th nationally in assists per set (9.53) and 41st in total assists.
- Johnson's previous career-best in kills was 15, set October 30, 2019 vs. Westfield State. She has 222 kills in 23 matches dating back to October 23 of that season.
Up Next
- Keene State returns home this Saturday when they will open their Little East Conference slate against Western Connecticut State University (7-4, 1-0 LEC) at 12:00 p.m. before taking on Wellesley College (1-6) at 3:00 p.m.
- Worcester State goes to Western New England University (5-5) this Thursday, September 23, for a 7:00 p.m. start.
