NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's volleyball team honored seniors Grace Davie (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Aylei Connolly (Westfield, Mass.) on Friday evening before battling Simmons University in a 3-0 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) setback to open Parents & Family Weekend at Andrews Hall.
The Sharks earned the victory by set scores of 25-20, 25-18, and 25-18.
Prior to the match, Norwich recognized Davie and Connolly for their four-year careers with the Cadets. Together, the senior duo entered the evening having accumulated 239 kills, 31 assists, 291 digs, 21 blocks, and 85 service aces while providing leadership both on and off the court throughout their time with the program.
Connolly turned in a strong Senior Day performance, pacing Norwich offensively with a team-high 11 kills on 33 attacks while adding seven digs. Davie contributed five kills, two service aces, and 10 digs in her final scheduled home weekend opener.
Charlotte Johnson (Moultonborough, N.H.) added three kills without an attack error for a .333 hitting percentage and contributed a block assist.
Norwich received solid play from its setters, led by Vanessa Whitmill (Fremont, Calif.), who recorded 12 assists, two service aces, and two digs. Ainslee Vargas (Rusk, Texas) added six assists and two service aces while helping direct the Cadet offense.
Defensively, Kelsey Slane (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) led Norwich with 12 digs while adding three service aces. Davie's 10 digs and Connolly's seven gave the Cadets three players with at least seven on the evening.
The Cadets came out firing in the opening set.
Davie supplied the first point of the night before Whitmill delivered a service ace and Connolly followed with a kill, helping Norwich race to a 3-0 advantage. The Cadets later stretched the margin to 7-2 behind another Davie ace and a pair of Simmons attack errors.
Norwich remained in control at 11-6 after another Connolly kill and a Vargas service ace, but the Sharks steadily worked back into the frame. Johnson and Isabella Vasapolli (Pepperell, Mass.) combined on a block to give the Cadets a 14-13 edge before Simmons eventually surged ahead.
The Sharks built a 24-17 advantage late, but Norwich refused to go quietly. A Simmons attack error and another Vargas ace helped the Cadets fight off three consecutive set points and close within 24-20 before Simmons finally finished the opening frame, 25-20.
The second set saw Simmons establish the early advantage, moving ahead 8-3 before Norwich began chipping away.
Whitmill registered an ace, Davie and Connolly each found the floor, and Slane provided another service ace as the Cadets looked to create momentum. A combined block from Taylor "Rae" Lawing (Allen, Texas) and Elexis Powell (Charlotte Hall, Md.) helped Norwich pull within 16-10.
Johnson later supplied consecutive Norwich kills, while Davie added two more during a late push that brought the Cadets within 22-18. Simmons answered by taking the final three points, securing a 25-18 victory and a two-set lead.
Norwich produced its strongest offensive showing in the third set, recording 12 kills while hitting .200 as a team.
After Simmons built an 8-2 advantage, the Cadets began working their way back behind kills from Davie, Powell, Vasapolli, and Connolly. Norwich rattled off three consecutive points midway through the frame, with Connolly supplying a kill before Slane followed with a service ace to cut the deficit to 11-9.
The Cadets later pulled within 14-12 and remained within four at 18-14 before Simmons established another cushion. Norwich mounted one final push in the closing moments, as Connolly delivered three late kills and Lawing added another to bring the Cadets within 23-18.
Simmons answered with the final two points, however, closing the match with another 25-18 decision.
As a team, Norwich finished with 25 kills, 21 assists, nine service aces, 40 digs, and two total blocks. Simmons countered with 42 kills, 39 assists, 10 aces, and 61 digs while hitting .207 for the match.
The Cadets will return to the road on Tuesday, Oct. 27, continuing GNAC play with a 6:00 p.m. matchup at New England College.
