#3 Bay Path Advances to NECC Semifinals Defeating #6 Regis 3-2

HOLYOKE, Mass.- In true New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Women's Volleyball Championships fashion the host #3 Bay Path College came back for a 3-2 victory over conference newcomer #6 Regis College tonight at the Bartley Center in NECC quarterfinal actions. This is the second meeting of the teams were they took the match to five with Regis winning the regular season in five. Tonight the Wildcats prevailed after staging a comeback falling in the first two sets 25-17 and 25-20 and winning the next three 25-19, 25-21 and 15-10.

Senior outside hitter Nadine Harkless (Westfield, Mass.) led all players with a match high 27 kills. Harkless chipped in 15 digs and garnered the game high 28.0 points.

Bay Path gained a huge advantage defensively with 108 digs to the Pride's 87 for the evening. All six Wildcats notched double figures in defensive stats. Junior setter Ashley Provost (Ludlow, Mass.) topped her team with 24 digs chipping in 36 assists.

Leading all players defensively was Regis sophomore libero Sara Gold (North Hollywood, Calif.) with a match high 26 digs.

Two Pride members hit in double figures sophomore outside hitter Angelica Endara (Boca Raton, Fla.) and senior outside hitter Domingas Gomes (Brockton, Mass.). Endara finished with 13 kills and 18 digs, while Gomes had 12 kills and 14 kills.  Sophomore setter Caitlyn Walsh (Taunton, Mass.) was the only other Regis player to pick up double figures in digs with 15 for the night. Walsh topped both setters with 38 assists.

Wildcats freshman Kacie Bayreuther (East Lyme, Conn.) helped lead the comeback in game three taking four straight points. Bayreuther finished with ten kills and 19 digs for the night. Sophomore middle hitter Kate Bartels (Dalton, Mass.) chipped in seven kills and 19 digs. Bartels also had two block solos.  Rounding out the starting lineup with senior outside hitter Vanessa Chaplin (Attleboro, Mass.) had 12 digs, while freshman outside hitter Allie Esquivel (Irving, Tex.) added 19 digs and pitched in six kills.

Despite both teams adjusting to a massive storm hitting Massachusetts and postponing the match from last night the game was very hard fought.

Bay Path will face the #2 Newbury in the nightcap of semi-finals hosted at Southern Vermont for the 8:00 p.m. match.  Regis concludes their season with a 9-19 record while Bay Path advances to 14-10.  

2011 NECC Women's Volleyball Tournament

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

#6 Regis College at #3 Bay Path College – BPC 3-2

#5 Lesley University at #4 Daniel Webster College – DWC 3-0

Friday, November 4, 2011 (at Southern Vermont)

#4 Daniel Webster College vs. #1 Southern Vermont College - 6:00PM

#3 Bay Path College vs. #2 Newbury College - 8:00PM

Saturday, November 5, 2011 (at Southern Vermont)

Championship Game - 2:00PM