Springfield, Mass. – September 26, 2023 – The Springfield College women's volleyball team collected a straight-set sweep over Clark in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Tuesday night in Blake Arena by the scores of 25-16, 29-27, 25-20 

The Pride entered the match receiving votes in this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Division III National Poll and improved to 14-1, 3-0 against conference foes.  The loss dropped Clark to 8-5, 1-2.

Fresh of earning NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Week honors, Riley Donahue (South Windsor, Conn.) was dominant on the pin for the Pride as she registered 22 kills on a .571 hitting percentage. Maeve Voltz (Bay Shore, N.Y.) contributed 10 kills and four blocks while hitting .562, and Ally Townsend (Hummelstown, Pa.) was credited with 19 digs.  Natalie Billet (Commack, N.Y.) collected a double double of 12 kills and 12 digs and the duo of Tori Colosimo (Fairport, N.Y.) and Morgan Stafford (Corbett, Ore.) combined for 49 helpers and five aces. 

After Clark scored the first four points of the match, Springfield answered with a 10-4 push, as Billet connected on an ace down the line to give the Pride a two-point edge.  Springfield would use a 6-0 burst midway through the set to open up an 18-10 lead and Billet would deliver a roll shot on set point to set the 25-16 win. 

Townsend connected on an ace off the tape to force Clark into a timeout as the hosts jumped out to a 7-2 lead.  However, Clark would respond with a 7-2 burst of their own as Springfield called for a timeout.  In a frame that featured 14 ties, the hosts fought off two set points before Voltz put away a kill and teammed with Donahue for a block to give the Pride a 27-26 edge.  After a sideout kill from the Cougars, Donahue pounded a ball in system and Stafford sealed the win with an ace.  As a team, Springfield produced 20 kills at a .317 hitting percentage in the stanza, led by eight off the arm of Donahue. 

Stafford took the reins of the offense in the third and found Donahue early and often as the duo connected for nine kills in the set.  Clark led for nearly the entire set, including holding a 19-17 lead late, but Springfield closed out the match on an 8-1 push to complete the sweep.  After Voltz produced a huge stuff block in the middle to tie things up at 20-all, Townsend delivered a sensational pancake dig on the next point that led to a Voltz kill an transition as Springfield took its first lead of the match.  From there, the Pride scored the final four points of the evening, with Billet putting away Springfield's 16th kill of the frame in the 25-20 win. 

Springfield continues conference play on Saturday when it heads into Boston to play Emerson at 12 pm.

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