THE BASICS
Lesley University, 0 vs VTSU Lyndon, 3
Lesley University 0, vs VTSU Lyndon, 3
Records:
UMPI (1-12-2)
Lesley Lynx (3-13-1)
Location: Lyndon, ME
Date: Saturday, October 21st 2023
THE LEAD – The Lynx hosted travelled to VTSU Lyndon for a pair of NAC matches, in which Lesley won its first set of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1 - VTSU Lyndon 3, Lesley 0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-17)
The two teams battled through a tightly contested opening set, with neither holding a lead of more than three points. With Lesley holding a 20-18 lead, the Lynx committed a service error, then Gray Hoselton (Fargo, ND) delivered back to back aces to give Lyndon the lead. Kiara Macks (Winooski, VT) kill put Lyndon up two, but back to back kills by Lesley's Sinead Thomas tied things at 22-22.
After the two teams trades miscues, a kill from Lyndon's Lelani Medina (Laredo, TX) brought Lyndon to set point. However the Lynx tied it on a Hornet attack error. However a bad set and an attack error from Lesley gave Lyndon their first set win of the season.
The second set was also tightly contested in the early going. With the score tied at 16-16, the Hornets finally opened up a little breathing room, thanks to a kill from Kazandra Gonzalez (Norwalk, CA) and three straight Lynx errors. After a kill from Lesley's Renee Hatch paused the Hornet run, four more straight Hornet points put Lyndon on the verge of winning the set. After two Lynx points, Charlotte Morris (Middletown, DE) set up Briona Graham (Port Arthur, TX) for the set winning kill.
Lesley looked like they would get back into the match when they jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the third set. Lyndon rallied, however, and Hoselton's kill gave the Hornets an 8-7 lead. Lesley quickly regained the advantage, and held a 14-12 lead following a Hornet ball handling error.
At that point, Lyndon ran off nine straight points, initiated by a Lynx bad set, and followed by eight straight points on Medina's serve. Lyndon was able to hold off Lesley the rest of the set to come away with their first win.
Emma Welch had six kills and 18 digs to pace Lesley. Estephany Morales had six assists and 11 digs and Rayann Fatahi added 13 digs.
Match 2 - VTSU Lyndon 3, Lesley 1 (25-21, 17-25, 25-16, 25-18)
Lyndon broke open a closely contested opening set when they ran off six straight points to push a 14-10 advantage to 20-10. Morris had a pair of aces to ignite the run and Gonzalez capped it off with a kill. Lesley responded with a quick six points of their own, thanks to a series of Hornet attack errors, but the Hornets were able to keep the Lynx at bay to take the first set.
With Lyndon holding an 8-6 advantage early on in set two, Lesley went on their best run of the day, outscoring the Hornets 10-1 to take control of the set. After Lyndon got within five, Lesley went on another seven-point run to extend the lead to 24-12. Three straight Lynx errors followed by a Hoselton kill and a Morris ace brought Lyndon to within seven, but a service error gave Lesley the set to even things at one set each.
The Hornets quickly took control of set three. Kills from Graham and Hoselton triggered a six-point run that gave Lyndon a 7-1 lead.
Set four followed the script of several earlier sets - closely contested early on with neither team able to extend to a large advantage. With Lyndon in front, 19-18, a Graham kill tarted a six-point Hornet run to close out the set and the match.
Welch again led Lesley, recording eight kills and 17 digs. Morales had a match high 21 digs and Thomas was credited with seven assists.