Women's Volleyball: Raiders split GNAC Tri-Match at Norwich

(Northfield, Vt.) The Rivier University Women's Volleyball team split their Great Northeast Athletic Conference tri-match this afternoon at Norwich University as they earned a clean sweep of the Cadets before falling in straight sets to Simmons College. The Raiders are now 11-8 overall and 4-2 in the conference while Simmons, who defeated Norwich in the afternoon's other match, improve to 12-9 (6-1 GNAC) and the Cadets are now 9-9 overall, 1-5 in conference competition.

Game One: Rivier University 3, Norwich University 0 (Final)

Rivier came out swinging in their first game of the afternoon as they took the three sets by scores of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-15.

Sophomore Taylor Dunster (Sutton, Mass.) led the way with a .867 hitting percentage as she hammered down a team high 13 kills. Senior Erin Rosa (Cumberland, R.I.) was just as dominate along the net as she totaled four blocks, three of the solo variety. Junior setter Hayley Macken (Clifton Park, N.Y.) dished out 21 assists and senior Madison Soucy (Tolland, Conn.) paced the back line with seven digs.

Norwich was guided by Michele Zummo who had eight kills and Emily Oliver tied Macken with 21 assists.

Game Two: Simmons College 3, Rivier University 0 (Final)

For the first time since 1999, the Raiders were defeated by the Sharks in Women's Volleyball. Despite the 3-0 loss, the Raiders battled with the Sharks as they fell by sets scores of 17-25, 28-30 and 24-26.

Freshman Julia Zargaj (Groveland, Mass.) was the team leader with 11 kills for the Raiders as she was the only member to reach double-digit kills. Macken handed out 22 assists and Dunster totaled 21 digs. Senior libero Bethany Trevino (Westminster, Colo.) also hit double-digit digs as she scooped up 15 on the afternoon.

Simmons was bolstered by Morgan Weeg's match-high 17 kills with Jarene Harberts chipping in with 10 kills of her own. The duo setter tandem of Faith Gray-Williams and Kenna McCarthy totaled 34 assists as Julia Fusco picked up 17 digs. Gray-Williams was also fantastic defensively as she totaled four block solos and seven total blocks.

Next up for the Raiders will be a return home to the Muldoon Gymnasium next Thursday evening as they host Emmanuel College in another GNAC matchup. Game time is set for 7pm.