BOSTON – Simmons volleyball (10-5, 4-0 GNAC) extended its win streak to eight games with a 3-0 shutout of Dean College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Tuesday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: Simmons 25, Dean 13
After a back-and-forth beginning to the match, the Sharks set the tone utilizing an 8-1 run to take a convincing, 15-6, lead and force Dean to call its first timeout of the set. The teams traded the next six points, but senior outside hitter Sydney Iannantuono registered three kills in a 6-0 run to the put the first set out of reach.

The Sharks hit .436 as a team en route to the 25-13 fist set victory to take the 1-0 match advantage. Iannantuono was flawless from the floor, tallying six kills on 12 attempts, while recording five digs.

Set 2: Simmons 25, Dean 16
Carrying its offensive momentum into the second period, Simmons posted a .481 team attack percentage, tallying 16 kills on 27 attempts with just three errors. They jumped out in front early, leading 12-3, before the Bulldogs battled back and pulled within four points of the lead.

However, the Sharks responded with back-to-back kills by junior outside hitter Claire Conners to put the home team back in front by seven points. Sophomore April Beatty put the game out of reach moments later with an ace as they Sharks took the two-match advantage following the 25-16 win.

Set 3: Simmons 25, Dean 16
The third set was another early back-and-forth, barn-burner with the Bulldogs staying close to the Sharks within the first couple of points. However, with the game tied at four, the Sharks went on a 9-2 run, capped off by a pair of service aces by Iannantuono to take a commanding 13-6 lead.

The Bulldogs pulled back to within five points of the Sharks, trailing 15-10, but that was a closed as they got. Junior outside hitter Jayla Parnell put Simmons back on top by seven with two kills and forced Dean to call its first time out of the set, but it was not enough. The Sharks cruised to the 25-16 victory.

SIMMONS HIGHLIGHTS

• Senior outside hitter Sydney Iannantuono posted her highest attack percentage of the season, hitting .333 with 15 kills on 30 attempts and just five errors.
• Iannantuono came one dig shy of her seventh double-double of the season tallying nine digs.
• Sophomore Meghan Doxsee was nearly perfect from the floor with four kills on six attempts, while going up for two total blocks (1 solo, 1 assisted).
• Junior Jayla Parnell posted a .357 attack percentage with seven kills on 14 attempts and two errors.
• Junior Claire Conners hit .316 with seven kills on 19 attempts and just one miscue.

GAME NOTES

• Simmons hit .358 as a team, tallying 44 kills on 95 attempts and just 10 miscues.
• The Sharks improve to 3-0 against the Bulldogs all-time.

UP NEXT
Simmons returns to the hard-court tomorrow evening for a tough road battle against No. 19 MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts.