Bay Path defeats Lesley University in NECC Volleyball action

PRESS RELEASE
October 26, 2019

CONTACT: Michael Nosek
774-239-7435
mknosek@gmail.com

Bay Path Volleyball Downs Lesley 3-1 on Senior Day

EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. – The Bay Path University volleyball squad claimed a 3-1 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) victory in the Wildcats' final home match of the season on Saturday—defeating Lesley University 3-1 at First Baptist Gymnasium.

BPU came back late in the opening set to pull ahead and top Lesley 27-25. The Lynx responded by winning the next frame 25-20, but the Wildcats then dominated the third game—taking it easily at 25-8. With the fourth set tied 22-22, the hosts claimed the next three points to put it away.

After the triumph, Bay Path recognized and celebrated its two senior members in Khalia Albury (Springfield, Mass.) and libero Talia Hicks (Northfield, Mass.).

Bay Path (4-14, 1-5 NECC) concludes the season next Saturday, November 2 with an 11 a.m. NECC first serve at Elms College.

BPU sophomore Lydia Clifford (Coventry, R.I.) led the team with 12 kills while adding 14 assists, seven digs, and four aces to her line. Freshman Delaney Ivas (Adams, Mass.) was right behind with 11 kills in addition to notching five service aces, and classmate Khyarah Gaston-Feliciano (Holyoke, Mass.) posted five aces of her own while popping up 17 assists.

Wildcat freshman Marissa Courchesne (Belchertown, Mass.) chipped in with nine kills and three aces as sophomore Lisa Sikop (Easthampton, Mass.) led the team with nine digs.

The onset of the match was a back-and-forth affair before Lesley went on an 8-2 run to go on top by five. The Lynx then pushed it to a 23-19 lead, but Bay Path fought back to take the set; the Wildcats then won the next five points with Gaston-Feliciano notching two aces in that stretch. LU would put it to game point by taking the next two—only to see the hosts rally for three in-a-row with an Ivas ace giving BPU the frame.

Five unanswered Lesley points midway through the second set gave the visitors the lead, and the Wildcats wouldn't be able to get closer than three the rest of the way as the Lynx tied the match. Bay Path bounced back in a big way, however, by running away with the third game. A 10-1 BPU surge was highlighted by three Ivas kills and encompassed both of Lesley's timeouts, and the remainder of the stanza was a formality as the hosts took the edge in the contest.

After LU went up by three early in the fourth, the Wildcats came back with a 9-1 run which included a pair of aces from both Hicks and Courchesne. Lesley wouldn't give up, however, and grabbed the next nine points to go ahead by four. Bay Path chipped away and took a 22-21 edge with help from back-to-back kills by Clifford and Courchesne, and Courchesne then added her last kill of the afternoon before Clifford served up consecutive aces to put the match away.