NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University women's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) rival Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday afternoon at Andrews Hall. The Monks earned the victory by set scores of 25-19, 25-16, and 25-9.
Grace Davie (Lynnfield, Mass.) led the Cadets offensively with a team-high four kills on a .364 hitting percentage, while adding a service ace. Vanessa Whitmill chipped in three kills, a pair of service aces, and a team-best 11 digs. Ainslee Vargas (Rusk, Texas) directed the Norwich attack with 12 assists while adding two kills, a service ace, and eight digs.
Kelsey Slane (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) added nine digs, a kill, and a service ace, while Taylor "Rae" Lawing (Allen, Texas) and Aylei Connolly (Westfield, Mass.) each finished with two kills. Norwich totaled 15 kills, 13 assists, five service aces, 42 digs, and three team blocks in the match.
Norwich came out strong in the opening set, building an early 7-2 advantage behind a service ace from Davie, two kills from Vargas, and a block from Isabella Vasapolli (Pepperell, Mass.). Saint Joseph's responded with five straight points to pull even at 7-7 before the teams continued to trade momentum through the middle of the frame.
The Cadets remained within striking distance late in the set. A kill from Davie evened the frame at 12-12, while Norwich later pulled within 23-19 following a Vasapolli kill and a Monk attack error. Saint Joseph's answered with the final two points to secure the opening set, 25-19.
In the second set, Norwich stayed close early as kills from Whitmill and Davie helped the Cadets battle to a 5-5 tie. Saint Joseph's began to create separation from there, using an extended run to build a 15-6 advantage.
Norwich continued to battle, receiving consecutive kills from Lawing before Slane delivered a service ace. Whitmill later supplied an ace of her own as part of a four-point Cadet push that cut the deficit to 23-16, but the Monks collected the final two points to take the frame, 25-16, and move ahead two sets to none.
Connolly opened the third set with a kill to give Norwich the first point of the frame, but Saint Joseph's responded with five straight and steadily built its advantage. Connolly added another kill to stop the opening surge, while Davie later found the floor to keep the Cadets battling.
Late in the set, Vasapolli and Vargas teamed up for a block before Whitmill followed with a kill on the next Norwich point. The Monks maintained control, however, closing out the set, 25-9, to complete the sweep.
Saint Joseph's finished with a 35-15 advantage in kills and hit .204 for the afternoon, while the Cadets' strongest offensive frame came in the opening set, when Norwich hit .067 and remained within striking distance throughout much of the stanza.
The Cadets will remain at home for their next outing, welcoming GNAC opponent University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) to Andrews Hall on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6:00 p.m.
