CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Simmons College women's volleyball team defeated Smith College, 3-1 (25-23, 13-25, 25-18, 25-21), before falling to host nationally-ranked number 20 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-17) in a tri-match this afternoon at Rockwell Cage in Cambridge, Mass. The Sharks are now 5-5 on the season, while Smith is 4-6 and MIT is a perfect 11-0.

Simmons fired a season-high 18 aces vs. Smith in the four-set victory. 

First year outside hitter Jarene Harberts (Naples, Fla.) led all players with 10 kills and added three digs and a block assist for the Sharks, while classmate Riley Roberge (Peoria, Ariz.) registered a match-high 12 points with seven kills and a career-high five aces to go with a pair of digs. Senior right side hitter Amber Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev.) was extremely efficient committing just one attack error, while spiking for seven kills to post a .600 hitting mark in addition to five digs and three block assists. Sophomore setter Kenna McCarthy (Shelter Island, N.Y.) set for 25 assists, served up three aces, came up with seven digs and put down a pair of kills and first year Faith Gray-Williams (Las Vegas, Nev.) contributed with five aces, nine digs, seven assists, two block assists and a kill.

First year Caleigh Johnson (Georgetown, Texas) led Smith with eight kills on a .316 hitting percentage to go with eight total blocks, three aces and a dig, while senior outside hitter Elizabeth Peay (Lebanon, Conn.) put down seven kills, assisted on seven blocks and picked up three digs. Sophomore Kimani Freeman (Newark, N.J.) contributed with six kills, six aces, seven digs and a block, while junior setter Maca Rojas (Santiago, Chile) set for 26 aces, got down for seven digs and served for three aces.

Simmons was unable to post a positve hitting percentage for the first time this season vs. nationally-ranked MIT, while the Engineers posted a .278 hitting mark. 

Sophomore outside hitter Morgan Weeg (Goodyear, Ariz.) powered Simmons with eight kills and added three digs, while Gray-Williams produced seven assists and seven digs. First year defensive specialist Morgan Lauvray (Murrieta, Calif.) collected a match-high nine digs and fired an ace in addition to Roberge finishing with four kills and a .500 hitting mark. 

Junior Abby Bertics (La Jolla, Calif.) led all players with 15 kills and hit .542 while adding two blocks as junior Christina Liao (Warren, N.J.) distributed 33 assists. Senior Alli Davanzo (Saint Johns, Fla.) had six kills and three blocks while classmate Lisette Tellez (Miami, Fla.) tallied five kills, five aces, and five digs. Silvernale paced MIT with eight digs, followed by six from senior Clare Farley (La Jolla, Calif.), and five by first year Francesca Macchiavello (Lexington, Ky.) in just one set.

A pair of serving errors gave the Sharks an early edge in the first set, however, MIT mounted a 24-7 run to put the frame out of reach. A kill from Weeg coupled with a hitting error by the hosts extended the set, but a serving error secured the 25-11 MIT victory.

The Engineers gradually created a 15-5 advantage in the second set and maintained a comfortable cushion en route to a 25-15 win.

Sophomore Veronica Ripper (Brighton, Mich.) gave MIT a 14-7 lead in the third set. Following its own timeout, Simmons went on a 5-1 spurt, capitalizing on a serving error to come within 15-12. A serving miscue along with a block by sophomore Shea Landeene (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Ripper gave the Engineers some breathing room. However, the Sharks stayed close as a kill from Harberts made the score 22-17. This was as close as it would get as a kill by Liao, a setting error, and then an ace from Liao secured the win for MIT.

Simmons will be in action again when they return to Cambridge on Tuesday, September 19 to take on Lesley University at 8:00 p.m.