Rams Outlast Owls, 3-2

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Framingham State defeated top- seeded Westfield State (23-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-21, 15-13) in the women's MASCAC tournament semi-finals in the Woodward Center on Nov. 19. The Rams won the final two sets and rattled off the last two points of the game to break a 13-13 tie in the fifth set sending them to the championship game and ending the Owls' season.

Both teams traded the first four sets setting up the dramatic finish. With the game tied at 13 and Framingham holding serve, Mackenzie Heaney (Stony Brook, N.Y./ Ward Melville) made an outstanding dig for the Rams on a Julia Bartiet (Cheshire, Conn./ Cheshire) attack which set up a counter offensive from Anna Szymanski (Harwinton, Conn./ Lewis S. Mills). Szymanski landed the kill giving the visitors a 14-13 edge.

The ensuing serve was controlled by the Owls and set up an attack for Bridgette McAndrews (Longmeadow, Mass./ Longmeadow) but the combination of Natalie Reynolds (Beverly, Mass./ Beverly) and Szymanski blocked the attempt for the game winner.

The Owls were led offensively by McAndrews' game-high 21 kills. Lauren Carnes (Westfield, Mass./ Westfield) and Sarah Bingham (Reno, Nev./ Wooster) pitched in 13 and 12 kills respectively in the loss.

The Rams were paced by Reynolds and Hailey Sanders (Franklin, Mass./ Franklin) who landed 18 kills each. Stella Bailey (Wrentham, Mass./ King Philip) dished out 62 assists in the win and picked up 23 digs, both game-highs.

Westfield State finishes their season with a 10-19 overall record. Framingham State improves to 20-10 on the year and advances to the championship game where they will face the #3 seed, MCLA, on Saturday, Nov. 11 with the winner receiving the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.