In the last week of regular season action, the Amherst volleyball team went 2-1 at home, facing non-conference opponent Springfield College and finishing with two NESCAC matchups against Trinity and Wesleyan.
On Wednesday, the purple and white faced Springfield for the second time this season. Despite the back and forth nature of the matchup between these two competitive teams, Springfield managed to top Amherst in three sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-20). Maggie Danner ’17 posted a team-high 10 kills, while Nicole Gould ’17 and Mia Natsis ’18 contributed eight each. Natsis also paced the team in blocks with a total of five.
Four players, Hayes Honea ’19, Kate Bres ’17, Charlotte Duran ’20 and Kelci Keeno ’17, each contributed a single service ace. Honea was once again solid on defense, putting in a spectacular effort that totaled an impressive 23 digs.
Despite the midweek loss, the purple and white did not lose momentum and entered into weekend play ready to finish out the weekend unbeaten. On Friday, Amherst returned to NESCAC play and hosted the Bantams of Trinity. Friday also marked the purple and white’s senior night, and these veteran players were key in Amherst’s triumph over the Bantams.
Amherst swept Trinity in three sets (25-17, 25-17, 25-20). Danner remained an offensive force and led the team with 10 kills. She was active all over the court, also posting two blocks throughout the match. Natsis added two blocks of her own. Honea continued to anchor the defense and paced the team with another 23 digs. Asha Walker ’18 led the team with two service aces. Duran and Adelaide Shunk ’20 were key on the attack with 18 and 15 assists respectively.
The following day, Amherst took on Wesleyan to conclude regular season NESCAC play. The purple and white were victorious over the Cardinals in an equally thrilling and grueling match. Amherst fought its way back from a 2-1 deficit to take the match in five sets, 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-20, 15-8). Danner was remarkable on offense and paced the team with a total of 24 kills. Natsis was strong at the net with eight blocks, and Honea kept Wesleyan from taking the match with her team-high 22 digs. Honea, along with Walker and Keeno had a service ace apiece in the winning effort.
At the end of last week’s action, Amherst moves to 16-8 overall and 7-3 in conference play. Now that the regular season has concluded, the purple and white will begin NESCAC playoffs. On Friday, Nov. 4, the Amherst women will travel to Medford, Massachusetts, where top-seeded Tufts will be hosting the three-day NESCAC tournament. No. 3 seeded Amherst will face No. 6 seeded Wesleyan on Friday as they look to extend their postseason.
