NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida College will head out on the road and not be back home until September 21st, but finished their season-opening home-stand with a 3-0 win over Pine Manor College in non-conference women's volleyball action on Tuesday evening at Mount Ida Athletic Center.
The Mustangs (3-1) won easily in the first set, 25-15 before breaking away in the next two sets for matching 25-18 scores to send the Gators to 1-2 on the year.
Freshman Hanna Simpkins (Walpole, N.H.) notched an early season-high eight kills, while Mary Kate Reidy (Agawam, Mass.) and Molly Alkinburg (Port Deposit, Md.) continued to be solid with nine kills apiece, with Reidy adding a team-high 12 digs.
The Gators got strong defense from libero Alexa Leon (El Centro, Calif.), who recorded a game-high 19 digs, but the team managed just 13 kills, four apiece from Mary Owen (Houston, Texas) and Kendra Williams (San Diego, Calif.) to lead the team.
The Mount Ida attack, run through freshman Alexis Bell (Salem, Conn.), who had 26 assists, forced 21 errors out of Pine Manor, who did get 12 assists, nine digs and three service aces from junior setter Ashley Whiteshield (Seward, Alaska).
Bell, Kristy Walton (Fairhaven, Mass.) and Eleni Tsetsos (Waterbury, Conn.) served three aces apiece in the win for Mount Ida, with Tsetsos and Emily Stagnaro (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) combining for 13 digs.
Mount Ida's long road trip begins on Saturday when they head to Worcester to play a tri-match against Wentworth and WPI. The Mustangs will be on the court for the final two matches of the game, starting at 1:00 pm against the Leopards.
Pine Manor heads to West Hartford, Connecticut to take on Saint Joseph on Thursday at 7:00 PM.