Springfield, Mass. - October 15, 2022- The Springfield College women's volleyball team battled its way past Emerson in a key New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) showdown in Blake Arena on Saturday.  Springfield won by the scores of 19-25, 25-18, 25-23, 10-25, 15-3. 

The Pride has now won its last seven matches and stands at 15-4, 4-3 in conference play, while Emerson dropped to 13-3, 4-2.

Leading the way for Springfield in the win was Riley Donahue (South Windsor, Conn.), as she erupted for 22 kills at a .375 clip, to go along with eight digs.  In the three sets the Pride won, Donahue accounted for 16 kills on 28 errorless attempts for a .571 hitting percentage.  Ally Townsend (Hummelstown, Pa.) led all players with 22 digs, Maeve Voltz (Bay Shore, N.Y.) was dominant at the net with eight blocks, Natalie Billet (Commack, N.Y.) produced nine kills and 10 digs, and Megan Kirtyan (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) was credited with 37 assists, five digs, four kills, three blocks, and two aces. 

Parker Cummings produced 21 kills to pace Emerson, while Amelia Combs turned in 18 kills of her own.  Caroline Davis totaled 19 digs and Caroline Bond had 43 assists and 10 digs in the setback.

Emerson jumped out to a 12-7 lead in the opening set as the Pride called for a timeout before the hosts stormed back with an 11-5 push capped off by a kill from Voltz to force Emerson into a timeout.  However, the visitors would respond with the next five points to take the 25-19 win in a set where they totaled 15 kills, including seven from Combs.

The second set was back-and-forth from the start before Springfield broke open a 14-all tie with a 7-0 burst that was finished off by a huge block by Voltz and Billet at 21-14. Donahue had six kills on nine errorless swings in the set as the Pride pulled away with the 25-18 win. 

The third proved to be the closest frame of the afternoon with 14 ties and seven lead changes.  Knotted up at 14, Springfield put together a 3-0 spurt, with kills from Donahue and Billet forcing Emerson in a timeout down 17-14.  The visitors would burn their final timeout at 22-16 after another block by Voltz and Kirtyan, and then came out of the break to storm back with a 6-0 run that evened things up at 22.  However, Billet answered with a sideout kill and Voltz elevated for a solo block at set point.  Donahue would later get free in transition and pounded her fifth kill of the set for the 25-23 win in a set where the Pride had 14 kills at hit .483 as a team.

It was all Emerson in the fourth, as they raced out to a 17-3 lead and never looked back to force a fifth set thanks to a 25-10 win.  Springfield was able to regoup and came out focused as Billet started off the fifth with an ace and Voltz followed with a monster block to give Springfield a lead it would not relinquish.  Behind the tremendous serving of Kirtyan and the dynamic offensive play of Donahue, Springfield seized a 12-2 lead and would take the 15-3 win as it hit .462 in the fifth and held Emerson to a -.154 hitting percentage.

Springfield will play Coast Guard next Tuesday at 7 pm in another conference contest. 

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