PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Berthiaume '24
BOSTON – Simmons University (10-7, 6-0 GNAC) posted a four-set victory over Saint Joseph's College (6-12, 3-4 GNAC) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's volleyball action on Wednesday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET 1: Simmons 25, Saint Joseph's Maine 14
The Sharks set the tone of the night, hitting .360 as a team with 12 kills on 35 attempts and just three errors in the first set. First-year Hannah Pridgeon and senior Jayla Parnell led the way, each posting a .500 attack percentage and tallying four and three kills, respectively. Graduate senior Chelsea Simmons paced the offense with five assists while notching three aces.
SET 2: Saint Joseph's Maine 25, Simmons 22
Saint Joseph's came alive in the second set and evened up the match at one, edging out Simmons 25-22. The Monks' Nadia Sixto (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was perfect from the floor tallying six kills on six attempts, while Kailyn Chamberlin (Milford, N.H.) added eight assists and six digs.
SET 3: Simmons 25, Saint Joseph's Maine 23
Simmons had an answer. Jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead following a kill by senior outside hitter Claire Conners, the Sharks never looked back and fended off at late Monks comeback. Senior setter Kat Simeonidis and Chelsea Simmons had the offense hitting at a .323 clip, tallying 12 kills on 31 attempts to guide them to the 2-1 match advantage.
SET 4: Simmons 25, Saint Joseph's Maine 20
The fourth set was a barn-burner with the Monks hanging tough against the Sharks, trying to force deciding game five. Simmons had other ideas. After the Monks pulled to within three points of the Shark lead, 19-16, late, Simmonthe squelched the threat.
Junior middle blocker Meghan Doxsee ignited a 5-0 run with a kill, while Simeonidis registered a kill and an ace to create some separation and put the Sharks at match point. The Sharks quelled a late Monks surge and sealed the match with kill by Chelsea Simmons.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Freshman Greta Mackintosh (Plymouth, Mass.) delivered 14 kills with a .407 attack rate
- Sixto added 10 kills with a .368 hitting percentage, five digs, and a pair of block assists
- Junior Hanna Webster (Alvin, Texas) chipped in with eight kills and a .312 attack percentage
- Chamberlin contributed 24 assists and 15 digs
- Sophomore Victoria Briones (El Paso, Texas) added four kills, two aces, and 12 digs
LEADERS – SIMMONS:
- Senior outside hitter Claire Conners hit .308 with 15 kills on 39 attempts and just three errors.
- Senior outside hitter Jayla Parnell also posted a .308 attack percentage following up with 10 kills on 26 attempts and two errors.
- Junior middle blocker Meghan Doxsee registered three total blocks (2 assisted, 1 solo) to go along with four kills
- Graduate senior Chelsea Simmons registered her eighth double-double of the season, tallying 18 assists and 11 digs, while coming two kills shy of her fourth triple-double of the season.
UP NEXT
Saint Joseph's will host Elms College (11:00 AM) and Gallaudet University (3:00 PM) on Saturday.
THANKS IN LARGE PART TO SIMMONS UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
