Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- Sarah Doyle had 13 kills with a .600 attack percentage to power the University of Massachusetts Boston to its 19th consecutive Little East Conference regular-season victory with a sweep of Eastern Connecticut State University Friday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium. Scores were 25-16, 25-20, 25-22.
With the win, UMass (10-14, 6-0 LEC) clinches at least a tie for the regular-season title and can clinch the title outright if Keene State College loses Saturday against Rhode Island College. The Beacons visit the University of Southern Maine in their LEC regular-season finale Tuesday.
The last Little East team to beat UMB in the regular season, Eastern (15-7, 3-2 LEC) had a seven-match winning streak ended.
UMass was never challenged in taking the first two sets – with the first-set win ending a streak of 17 straight set victories for Eastern – before Eastern contended in the final set. The Warriors led 22-20 on kills by freshmen Lauren Notholt (Milford) and Alaetra Long (Lincoln, NE) before UMB rallied back for the final five points. Kills from Rachel Maslach and a service ace from Sidnee Berch pulled the Beacons even, and Eastern's attack error gave UMB the lead for good.
Alex Gibbs followed Doyle with 11 kills, Emilia Czapiewska and Eileen Shi adding nine each. Maslach led the Beacons with 32 assists and Gibbs and Macayla Chianco combined for just one reception error on 43 receptions. Chianco, the libero, led all players with 21 digs, and Maslach and Doyle each had four block assists.
Long led the Warriors with ten kills and sophomore setter Mckenzie Maneggia (Andover) set 14 assists. The Warriors attacked at just .056, compiling 18 errors. Senior libero Michelle Valliere (Lebanon) and freshman Abby Stern (Manchester) handled a combined 38 of 39 receptions successfully, and Valliere led Eastern with 15 digs.
Eastern visits Western Connecticut State University Tuesday in a Little East match at 7 p.m. and closes out conference regular-season play next Saturday at the University of Southern Maine at noon.
