SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Lasell College women's volleyball team ran into a pair of strong out-of-region teams Friday, dropping both matches on the first day of the Skidmore College Invitational at the Williamson Center.
The Lasers dropped their opening match to host Skidmore College, 3-0 (25-10, 26-24, 25-8), and fell in the second match to SUNY New Paltz, 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-13). Lasell ended the day with a 13-16 overall record, while Skidmore improved to 18-10 and New Paltz is now 24-6.
Lasell will play two more matches in the tournament on Saturday, facing SUNY Potsdam at 10 a.m. and Union College (N.Y.) at noon.
Skidmore 3, Lasell 0 (25-10, 26-24, 25-8),
The Lasers were overpowered by the Greyhounds, and finished with a negative attack percentage (19-24-88, -0.057). Freshmen Kiana Perez (Juncos, Puerto Rico) was Lasell's top hitter with six kills, while senior Olivia Addington (Orange, Calif.) managed just four winners. Perez and Addington shared team-high honors with 11 digs apiece.
Lasell's best set was the second, when they gave Skidmore a solid challenge. After falling behind 16-10, the Lasers stayed within striking distance and came back to tie the set at 22-all and took a one-point lead on a service ace by Perez. Skidmore won two straight points, but the Lasers fought off a set-point to tie the score at 24-all. The hosts pulled out the set on a pair of Laser errors.
New Paltz 3, Lasell 0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-13)
The Lasers managed a .070 attack percentage (15-10-71) in the setback to the Hawks. Addington led the way for Lasell with seven kills and a .286 attack percentage and nine digs. Freshman Juliana Denning (Lathrop, Calif.) was next for the Lasers with four kills and a .571 percentage (4-0-7).
Again, Lasell's best set was the second. The Lasers held the lead early on and had a 9-7 advantage, but the Hawks rattled off 10 unanswered points to pull ahead 17-9. Lasell couldn't recover and dropped the set, 25-19.
The third set was tied 8-8 before New Paltz went on an 8-1 run to take a comfortable 16-9 advantage, and Lasell got no closer the five points the rest of the way.
-- 30 --