NORTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS
Mount Ida Blanks Elms, 3-0
Mustangs advance to NAC Semifinals
November 1, 2006
by Mike Raposo
NEWTON, Mass. (Nov. 1, 2006) – The top-seeded Mount Ida College women’s volleyball team sprinted to a 3-0 (30-28, 30-17, 30-16) victory over eighth-seeded Elms College this evening in North Atlantic Conference Tournament Quarterfinal Round action at the Mount Ida Athletic Center.The Mustangs (19-9, 10-0 NAC) 36th-straight triumph over a league foe vaulted them to Saturday’s NAC Semifinals, where they will meet the winner of the match between the fifth-seeded University of Maine Farmington and fourth-seeded Lesley University.
Both Semifinal contests, as well as the NAC Championship will take place on Mount Ida’s home floor on Saturday beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Mustangs, who have appeared in the NAC Championship in each of the league’s first seven seasons, will look to capture their fifth-straight league title and sixth overall.
Senior Adrienne Xenos (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) paced Mount Ida with ten kills and five service aces. The Mustangs also got a boost from freshman Amanda Pereira (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford), who recorded seven kills and 16 digs. Classmates Lamesha Shackelford (Randolph, Mass./Randolph) and Lauren Biondo (Coventry, R.I./Coventry) totaled six kills apiece, while sophomore setter Stephanie Saito (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) piled up 31 assists and eight digs.
Elms wrapped up its 2006 campaign with an overall mark of 7-17. The Blazers posted a 3-7 mark versus league opponents and advanced to the NAC Tournament for the fourth time in the last five years.
The Blazers received solid production from freshman Chie Inoue (Kochi, Japan/Sakawa), who tallied 15 digs. Classmate Kimberly Phillips (Randolph, Mass./Blue Hills Regional) dished out ten assists, while fellow freshmen Amanda Konsewicz (Westfield, Mass./Westfield) and Melissa Clark (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee Comprehensive) finished with four blocks and six kills, respectively.