STANDISH, Maine - The sixth-seeded Simmons College women's volleyball team gave number three seed Saint Joseph's College (Maine) all it could handle, but came up short in a 3-2 (24-26, 25-18, 21-25, 25-17, 15-9) loss to the host team in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Quarterfinals this evening in Standish, Maine. The Sharks finish their season at 9-18, while the Monks improve to 27-5 and advance to play second-seeded Johnson & Wales University, 3-0 winners over Lasell College, on November 5 in the semifinals.
Junior outside hitter Cailin Fredrickson (Columbia, Md.) and senior right side hitter Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.) each spiked for seven kills for Simmons, while Fredrickson added 18 digs, three aces and a block assist. Alberghini finished her career with three total blocks and three digs. Junior middle blocker Abby Hart (Westfield, Mass.) put down six kills to go with three block solos and three digs, while junior setter Andalyn Duke (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) posted a double-double of 24 assists and 17 digs. Junior libero Kat Guillotte (New Bedford, Mass.) also contributed with 20 digs and three aces for the Sharks.
Junior middle hitter Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) led Saint Joseph's with 12 kills and seven total blocks in addition to coming up with 14 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Shadai Gosselin (Somersworth, N.H.) and junior defensive specialist Abbie McPhee (Epping, N.H.) each picked up 20 digs for the Monks, while sophomore setter Mariah Hebert (Biddeford, Maine) registered 25 assists, 12 digs and three blocks.
Simmons owned the lead for most of the evening, whether it be sets or points, before eventually succumbing to the higher-seeded Saint Joseph's. The Sharks took the opening set, 26-24, while holding the Monks to a -.057 hitting percentage. Saint Joseph's raced out to a commanding 17-6 lead in the frame and later held a 22-14 advantage, before Simmons closed out the set with a blistering 12-2 run, fueled by a pair of kills from Alberghini, to give the Sharks the set.
The Monks evened the match following a 25-18 second set win. The home team took an 18-11 margin, before Simmons reeled off seven unanswered points to pull to within 18-16, but it was as close as the visitors would get. Saint Joseph's pulled away with a 7-2 burst to seal the set win.
The Sharks put themselves just one set away from victory with a 25-21 showing in the third frame. In keeping with the familiar theme of the match, the Monks took an early 12-6 lead, but Simmons fought back, scoring six of the next seven points to close to within 13-12. Saint Joseph's later maintained a 16-13 lead, but the Sharks ripped off six straight points, to take a 19-16 lead and never looked back, winning the set by four to take a 2-1 match lead.
The Monks pulled even in the match again with a 25-17 effort in the fourth frame. Saint Joseph's never trailed in the set.
Simmons looked primed for the upset in the final set, taking a 9-5 cushion, but the Monks stayed focused and took advantage of miscues committed by the Sharks to score 10 unanswered points to win the set and the match.