NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida honored the members of its senior class on Wednesday evening before falling 3-1 to rival Lasell College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's volleyball action at Mount Ida College Athletic Center.
Setter Nicole Peixoto (New Bedford, Mass.) and defensive specialist Laurne Rushalski (Brick, N.J.) were recognized in a pre-game ceremony for their four years of dedication to the women's volleyball program.
Peixoto would go on to tally 45 assists in the match, setting a record for the most assists in a four-game match in Mount Ida history.
Rushalski had 12 digs, two kills, and a team-high five service aces, and the Mustangs took the first set 25-21, but fell in the next three tightly contested games, 25-22, 25-22, 25-20.
Mount Ida (7-18, 1-6 GNAC) sophomore Molly Alkinburg (Port Deposit, Md.) led all players with 16 kills and hit at a .387 clip for the match, while classmate Alysha Dunbar (Quincy, Mass.) was also in double-digits with 10 kills.
The Lasers (5-24, 2-5 GNAC) were led by ten kills from junior Heather Longley (N. Granby, Conn.) and benefited from 31 assists out of freshman Taylor Tiezzi (Meriden, Conn.).
Odina Ellis (Providence, R.I.) and Kathy Cameron (Boston, Mass.) each added five kills and combined for five and a half blocks.
Mount Ida racked up 72 digs in the game, with five players having 12+ digs, including Kelcey Koolman (Bedford, N.H.), Rushalski, Peixoto, Lucianna Medici (Riverside, R.I.), and junior Taylor Davis (Machiasport, Maine), who added eight kills in the victory.
Mount Ida will continue their conference slate this Saturday afternoon with a GNAC tri-match featuring two Boston schools. The Mustangs will play Simmons at 1:00 pm and then take on host Suffolk at 3:00 pm.
Lasell will be at a tri-match of their own, traveling to Standish, Maine to battle Saint Joseph's College and Anna Maria.