Volleyball Tops Regis 3-2, Logs First Victory of Season

WESTON, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene volleyball team edged Regis 3-2 in a non-conference match at Higgins Court Tuesday evening. The Lions improve to 1-4 on the year with the win while the Pride falls to 1-4 overall.

Kortney Jenkins (Bunker Hill, W.V.) tallied 15 kills, 19 digs and three aces to lead the way for the visitors. Dana Day (Coarsegold, Calif.) registered a team-best 21 digs while adding 11 kills. Rookie setter Lauryl Berger (Laurel, Del.) totaled 39 assists in the win. Cayla Clinkscale (Winchendon, Mass.) and Hannah Welsh (Derry, N.H.) each finished with 15 digs while Leann Williams (Oxford, Pa.) posted a team-high five blocks.

Regis prevailed in the opening set 25-22 to claim a 1-0 lead.

Leading 16-15 in the first frame, the Lions rattled off three-consecutive points to take a 19-15 advantage. After two straight points to knot the set at 22-22, the Pride tallied three unanswered points to close out the first set.

Eastern Nazarene leveled the match at one set each with a 25-17 win in the second.

The Lions opened the second frame with three straight points to go ahead 3-0. The Pride answered with four points to grab a 4-3 lead.

The visitors gained momentum late in the frame as they went on an 8-1 run to seize a 22-14 margin.

The home team responded with a 25-17 victory in the third to reclaim a 2-1 edge.

Regis tacked on five unanswered points late in the third set to push the lead to 24-15. Sara Casullo recorded the set-clinching kill in the third.

Eastern Nazarene inched past the Pride 26-24 in the fourth set to force a deciding fifth frame.  With the Lions trailing 23-22 in the fourth, Jenkins put down back-to-back kills to give the visitors a 24-23 edge.

After the Pride knotted the score at 24-24, Eastern Nazarene benefitted from a Regis service error to go ahead 25-24. Welsh finished out the set for the Lions, dealing her lone ace on the night.

The Lions claimed the fifth set 15-7 to secure the victory. Eastern Nazarene controlled the lead early in the frame and did not relinquish it. Regis drew to within one point of the Lions, 6-5, but a five-point stretch gave the away team an 11-5 gap.

Jenkins connected for the match-winning kill for Eastern Nazarene in the fifth.

Up next, the Lions will participate in the UMass-Dartmouth Invitational September 7. Eastern Nazarene will take on the host Corsairs, Framingham State and Regis at the tournament.