Volleyball Extends Winning Streak to Six with 3-1 Win over Worcester State

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's volleyball team won its sixth straight match as the host Bears downed Worcester State University, 3-1, in a Massachusetts Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Wednesday evening at the Tinsley Center.

The Bears improve to 7-9 on the season and 2-1 in the MASCAC, while the visiting Lancers slip to 5-7 overall (0-2 MASCAC) with their third straight setback.

Junior middle hitter Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, Mass.) and senior outside hitter Clara Goncalves (Dennis, Mass.) paced the Bears in the key conference victory. Bennett tallied ten kills, a .562 hitting percentage and two aces, while Bennett notched 12 kills, a .370 hitting percentage, six digs and two blocks (one solo).

Bridgewater also received a match-best 13 kills as well as 12 digs and two aces from junior outside hitter Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I.).  Junior setter Charleyne Panner (Gilford, N.H.) added 36 assists, ten digs and an ace, while freshman libero Cassidy Tyros (Chelmsford, Mass.) chipped in with a season-high 25 digs.

Panner now has 1,877 assists in her career as she moved past current assistant coach Natalie Cohen (1,847 assists) into sixth place on the Bears' all-time list.

Senior outside hitter Jennifer Cabral (Swansea, Mass.) led the way for the Lancers with ten kills and two aces. Junior setter Jamika Townsend (Virginia Beach, Va.) filled the stat sheet with 18 assists, six kills, one ace and three blocks (one solo), while freshman outside hitter Emily Carens (Northboro, Mass.) added six kills and three aces.

The Bears posted a team hitting percentage of .189 and recorded 81 digs, while the Lancers struggled on the attack with a .046 mark.  Bridgewater committed 11 serving errors while recording five aces. Worcester finished with ten aces and five errors.

The Bears will compete at the JWU Wildcat Classic on Friday and Saturday. The Lancers travel to Regis College on Saturday for a tri-match with the host Pride and Mount Holyoke College starting at 11:00 AM.