Sept. 10, 2011

Box Score vs. Franklin Pierce
Box Score vs. Merrimack

Photo Gallery

UMass Lowell volleyball defeated Franklin Pierce, 3-1, and Merrimack, 3-0, on Saturday to complete a perfect 3-0 weekend at the River Hawk Classic. Setter Kristina Wiltjer (Temecula, Calif.) was named the Tournament MVP, while Trina Carroll (Hampton, N.H.) and Lea Freeman (Methuen, Mass.)were placed on the All-Tournament Team.

UMass Lowell lost just one set all weekend as it improved to 4-2 overall on the season. Franklin Pierce (3-4) won two-of-three games to place second, Merrimack (2-5) came in third and Post (0-8) finished fourth.

In the River Hawks' opener against the Ravens, the match scores were 23-25, 25-15, 25-22 and 25-20.

After stumbling in the first set, UMass Lowell hammered Franklin Pierce with an accurate attack to even the score. Hannah Rey (San Diego, Calif.)and Witljer each tallied four kills and the team recorded a .481 attack percentage.

With the momentum back, the River Hawks scored two more wins to win the day's first match. Freeman quietly scored a team-high 12 kills, while Carroll picked up eight kills and eight total blocks. Rey and Brooke Peterson (Del Mar, Calif.)recorded eight kills each.

Quarterbacking the offense, Wiltjer finished with 38 assists, 14 digs and six kills. Libero Carolyn Eddy (Dracut, Mass.)dug 12 balls and made 18 receptions.

In the late match between rivals UMass Lowell and Merrimack, the River Hawks swept by scores of 25-15, 25-22 and 25-16.

UMass Lowell burst out of the gate behind four kills and two aces from Carroll. The Warriors struggled offensively, committing eight attacking errors and landing just seven kills.

Wiltjer took over in the final two sets, landing three consecutive aces and dishing out 22 assists, including several nice passes to Freeman who scored 10 kills.

For the match, the River Hawks carried a .333 hitting percentage. Among the stars, Freeman totaled 12 kills and a .550 attack percentage, trailed slightly by Carroll's seven kills and .455 attack percentage. Wiltjer had a match-high 28 assists and Eddy dug a team-best eight balls.

With three wins in the books, UMass Lowell will aim to keep on rolling as it heads to American International on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Post vs. Merrimack

In the morning match on court two, Merrimack won in three sets, 25-21, 25-22, and 25-22, over Post University. Merrimack was led by Stephanie Sheehan (Smithtown, N.Y.) who had 13 kills and 10 digs. Contributing for the Eagles was Belinda Snider (Norwalk, Conn.) who led with 13 kills.

Franklin Pierce vs. Post

In the late game on court two, the Ravens swept Post, 3-0, by scores of 25-20, 25-13 and 25-12. Natasha Ray (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led Franklin Pierce with 13 kills and 11 digs. The primary weapon for the Eagles was Snider, who totaled nine kills.

All-Tournament Team

Trina Carroll (UML)
Taylor Doyle (POST)
Lea Freeman (UML)
Lauren Miller (FPU)
Natasha Ray (FPU)
Stephanie Sheehan (MER)

Tournament MVP: Kristina Wiltjer (UML)