The Mount Ida College women's volleyball team hosted Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) member Simmons College winning 3-0 by scores of 25-19, 25-17, and 25-17 this Sunday in Newton, Massachusetts.  The Mustangs improve to 8-7 overall, 4-3 in the conference while the Sharks fall to 8-9 and drop their first GNAC match-up of the year.

The Mustangs started game one determined and jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead. With minimal errors and strong offensive play, Mount Ida added to their lead by going up 20-10 on the visiting team. Sophomore Kate Fionte made an exceptional effort to keep the Sharks alive as she tallied five consecutive kills and brought her team within five points. However in the end the Mustangs came with too much force with senior Amanda Pereira (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) totaling four kills to seal the game one victory 25-19.

As the same determination from game one carried over into the second match, Mount Ida again snatched a four point advantage on the Sharks going up 7-3. Junior Chelsea Darnell (Dublin, OH/Dublin Scioto) and freshman Christine Gallart (Germantown, MD/St. John's) were just what the Mustangs ordered as they combined for nine kills and helped the hosts cruise to a 25-17 game two win.

At the start of game three, the visiting Sharks showed some life by jumping out to a 5-0 lead, capitalizing on a myriad of errors by Mount Ida.   Two consecutive kills Gallart began the Mustang comeback and eventually knotted the contest at 7-7 with senior captain Lauren Biondo (Coventry, RI/Coventry) coming through big for the Mustangs.  Biondo notched a game changing kill to give the home team their first lead of the third set.  From then on the Sharks could not find an answer for Biondo who finished the game with five kills and sent the visitors packing as the Mustangs coasted to a 25-17 game three victory.

The Mustangs saw a few outstanding individual performances from Darnell and Gallart who added six kills a piece.  Darnell also added 11 digs during the contest while Gallart tallied three blocks.  Sophomore setter Cody Fusco (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco Waldorf) dished out 16 assists along with a service ace.

The Mustangs will travel to Daniel Webster College this coming Tuesday for some non-conference action starting at 7:00 p.m.