WORCESTER, Mass. – The Clark University volleyball team (7-5, 1-1 NEWMAC) hosted their first home conference match of the year against Smith (13-1, 2-0 NEWMAC) and despite winning the first set, dropped the match 3-1 to the Pioneers on Saturday afternoon from the Kneller Gymnasium.
Clark took the first set 25-21, fell 25-15 in the second set, dropped the third set 25-20, and were edged 25-18 in the final set.
How it Happened
- The Cougars jumped out to an early 6-3 lead sparked by kills from graduate students Sofia Scherrer del Llano and Camille Flurry as well as a service ace from junior Yumeng Liu.
- After the Pioneers held an 11-8 edge, Clark rattled off three straight points as Scherrer del Llano tallied a kill, senior Emily Newman/Flurry combined for a block, and sophomore Harper Chinn registered a service ace to tie the set at 11-11.
- The teams continued to trade points in the middle of the set before Scherrer del Llano tallied a kill and Newman/Flurry combined for a block to give the Cougars a 20-18 edge.
- Clark rattled off five of the final seven points as Scherrer del Llano registered a pair of kills, senior Yvanna Torres recorded a service ace, and Pastor tallied a kill as Clark took the set 25-21.
- Both teams played to a 6-6 tied early in the second set as Pastor recorded a pair of kills and later in the set, Flurry added another kill off a feed from Torres as Clark trailed 13-12.
- After Smith rattled off seven straight points, Pastor and Scherrer del Llano registered kills before the end of the set as the Pioneers took the set 25-15.
- Alcott and Pastor each recorded two kills early in the third set as the teams were tied at 5-5 and later in the set, Scherrer del Llano added two more kills as Clark held an 11-10 edge.
- Alcott added two more kills in the middle of the set and a kill from Pastor before the end of the set as the Cougars fell 25-20.
- Smith jumped out to an early 6-3 lead before the Cougars rattled off 10 points to tie the match at 13-13 as Flurry and Pastor each recorded kills.
- Over the rest of the set, Pastor registered the squads final two kills as the Pioneers came away with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set.
Inside the Box Score
- Clark recorded 33 kills, six aces, five blocks, 31 assists, and 34 digs.
- Pastor led the team with 12 kills and added seven digs.
- Scherrer del Llano and Alcott added nine and eight kills respectively.
- Torres (18) and Dopazo (10) led the squad in assists.
- Liu registered 12 digs and three assists.
- Flurry led the team with four blocks.
What's Next
The scarlet and white will play the second game of their two-game homestand when they welcome Springfield to the Kneller for a match beginning at 7:00 p.m.