Carnes’ Return Propels Owls to Sweep at Framingham

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Junior outside hitter Lauren Carnes (Westfield, Mass.) posted a game-high 13 kills and Morgan Dority (Walpole, Mass.) tallied 32 assists and 14 digs to power Westfield State past Framingham State in straight sets (25-18, 25-19, 25-18) in a MASCAC match on the road Thursday night.

Both teams entered the contest with just one loss in the MASCAC with the Owls securing an important road win to improve to 4-1 in the conference and 12-9 overall. The Rams drop to 4-2 in league play and 14-9 on the season.

Carnes, after missing the last nine games due to injury, recorded a season high in kills to pace the Owls in attacking finishes. Emily Washkalavitch (Oxford, Pa.) and Hanna Nihill (Chandler, Ariz.) each recorded eight kills with Washkalavitch adding ten digs as well. As a team, Westfield had 41 kills compared to 25 from Framingham.

Zurielys Rivera (Caguas, Puerto Rico) was one of three Owls to register double digit digs, leading the team with 19 digs while chipping in the remaining five assists.

Natalie Reynolds (Beverly, Mass.) led the Rams with eight kills. Stella Bailey (Wrentham, Mass.) posted 19 assists and 13 digs to front Framingham in both categories.

With Westfield ahead 8-7 in set one, nine of the next 11 points went in favor of the Owls on two separate service games from Dority and Erica Majka (Agawam, Mass.). First-year Shaneidy Hernandez (Springfield, Mass.) helped fuel the run, notching three total blocks and a kill in the spurt to push further ahead, 17-9. The Rams would get as close as six points on two occasions later in the frame, but an attacking error from Framingham completed the opening set with an Owls win.

The Owls held off a mid-set run from the Rams in set number two. Leading 16-10, Framingham would convert six of the next seven points, using a service ace to trim the Owl lead to one point (17-16). Westfield responded well, ripping off six straight points by using a strong net presence. Mary Heneghan (Round Rock, Texas) and Dority met an attack at the net for a block to stretch the lead to three, then after an Allie Hill (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) ace and a Heneghan kill, Dority blocked an attack from Sarah Medeiros (Watertown, Conn.) to cap the run for a 22-16 advantage.

Carnes closed set two with a pair of kills, sending Westfield to a two sets to none lead.

Westfield never trailed for the entirety of the final frame, but the Rams tailed closely behind into the middle of the set. Holding a 15-13 lead, a slam from Washkalavitch started a string of five winning points in a six point span. Carnes logged a kill, then a combined block from Hernandez and Dority increased the Owls lead to six (20-14). Framingham cut the deficit to three points late before the remaining four points of the set went in the visitors favor, capitalizing on two errors from the Rams while Carnes and Hanna Nihill added kills to punctuate the sweep.

Four games remain in the regular season for Westfield State with their next match coming on Saturday at 5:00 P.M. as the Owls visit Mass. Maritime for a MASCAC matchup.