Springfield, Mass. - October 29, 2019 - Playing at home for the final time this season, the Springfield College women's volleyball team dropped a four-set match to Wheaton in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play in Blake Arena on Tuesday night. The Lyons won by the scores of 21-25, 25-25, 25-23, 25-13.

The win lifts Wheaton's record to 18-11, 5-4 in conference play, while Springfield dropped to 16-11, 3-6.

Anagabrielle Sanchez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) turned in 32 digs and Julia O'Connor (Rocky Hill, Conn.) registered a career-best 13 kills at a .414 clip out of the middle.  Sara Labadorf (Huntersville, N.C.) was credited with 26 assists, 15 digs, and three aces.

For Wheaton, Julia Palomba led all players with 19 kills and 15 digs, while Adara Hamilton contributed 19 digs and 14 kills and Becca Houghton recorded 52 assists, 13 digs, four kills, three aces, and two blocks.

In the first set, the Lyons hit at a -.075 hitting percentage, committing 12 attack errors as a team.  O'Connor converted in transition to force the hosts into a timeout at 19-12 and Springfield would coast to a 25-21 win in a frame where it totaled just six kills, including four from O'Connor. 

The Pride held a 20-15 cushion in the second set following a kill from Ashley Tanner (Manorville, N.Y.), only to have the Lyons manufacture a 7-1 spurt that was fueled by three kills from Hamilton to gain a 22-21 edge.  A sideout kill from Katie vonKampen (South Setauket, N.Y.) would even things for the final time, as Wheaton used an ace and kill from Hamilton to pull away with a 25-23 win, despite both Labadorf and Sanchez each having 10 digs in the set.

The visitors raced out to an 8-3 lead in the third as the Pride whistled for an early timeout.  Springfield would battle back to within one point on three occasions, the last being at 24-23 following a big swing from Demi Spanos (West Harrison, N.Y.).  However, a blocking error by the Pride finished off a long rally at set point which allowed Wheaton to take the 25-23 win.  The Lyons erupted for 18 kills in the frame, including eight off the arm of Palomba.

After a kill from Spanos gave Springfield a 3-1 edge in the fourth, the visitors put together a 19-2 burst that featured an eight-point service run by Houghton.  The Pride managed just three kills in the set as Wheaton sealed the conference win with a 25-13 triumph. 

Springfield will conclude the regular season on Saturday when it travels to Boston to take on Emerson in a 1 pm tilt.

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