Springfield, Mass. – September 14, 2010 – Kim Giaquinto posted a match-high 11 kills while hitting .529 to power the Springfield College women’s volleyball team to a three-game sweep over Babson in both teams’ New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener. The Pride won by the scores of 25-9, 25-15, 25-9.
The win boosts Springfield’s record to 8-1, 1-0 in league play, while the Beavers drop to 4-5, 0-1.
Giaquinto had her finest match of the season as she tallied 11 kills, three blocks, and three aces in the victory. Springfield’s middle hitters had a stellar evening as Lauren Torvi registered nine kills and Sarah Lang-Rodean added eight kills on 12 errorless swings as both middles hit .667. Kelsea Hellyar delivered 34 assists and Meaghan Hart recorded 10 digs for the Pride. As a team, Springfield hit .329 in the match and had 11 service aces.
Babson struggled to find its rhythm as it hit -.085 in the match and connected on just 12 kills. Meg Flaherty had a team-best four kills and Christina Cervini added three. Kathleen Lynch dished out 12 assists and Nina Milovanovic finished with a match-high 11 digs.
Springfield set the tone to start the match as they roared out to a 7-0 lead in the opening set, forcing a Babson timeout. The Pride continued to roll in the frame as it went up by as many as 16, much in part to hitting an incredible .500 in the set. Lang-Rodean and Torvi combined for nine kills in the frame as Springfield took early control of the match.
In the second, a Flaherty kill evened the match at four and Babson appeared poised to not go away lightly. A double block by Cervini and Alexa Untermann gave the visitors an 11-10 advantage and forced head coach Joel Dearing to call a timeout. Out of the break, Springfield poured on a 7-1 run, highlighted by a Giaquinto solo block, as SC took a five-point lead at 17-12. With Lindsay Runge at the service line, the Pride’s lead ballooned to 11 after an ace, and Giaquinto put the set away with her fourth kill of the set.
The third set mirrored much of the the first as Springfield took a commanding 12-1 lead after a Cassie Seymour service ace and never looked back as it won 25-9. The Pride hit .360 in the game and used three kills from both Giaquinto and Tessa Smolinski to complete the sweep.
The Pride return to action on Saturday afternoon when it continues NEWMAC play at Coast Guard. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 pm
