Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – After battling from a 2-0 deficit, volleyball pulled out a pair of close wins to force the match deciding fifth set. The defending Little East Conference champions Eastern Connecticut State University would slip past the Beacons in the final frame as they handed Beacons a 3-2 loss Friday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 2, Eastern Connecticut State University 3
UMass Boston (4-9, 1-1 Little East Conference)
Eastern Connecticut State (7-5, 2-0 Little East Conference)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling in the second set 25-14, the Beacons came storming back in the third and edged out the host Warriors with a 25-23 victory in the third. They then saw what was a commanding lead disappear as the Warriors came within one point of taking the match. However, the Beacons would score four straight points, capped-off by a Tyla Parker service ace to earn the 26-24 fourth set decision.
In the fifth frame, the Warriors jumped out to a commanding lead and never looked back. They used a match-best .474 hitting percentage to end the Beacons comeback bid as they earned the deciding 15-10 victory.
Tyla Parker (Mahwah, N.J.) had her best match in a Beacons uniform as she totaled 26 digs in the tough conference loss. Marcelle Tiscareno (El Paso, Texas) finished as the lone Beacon in double figures with her 13 kills. The Beacons hit just .068 in the conference loss, while also surrendering 10 points on service errors.
Defensively, the Beacons combined for a season-high 75 digs, while at the net Sarah Doyle (Glendale, Calif.) finished with two block solos and five block assists.
Carsen Komminsk (Worthington, Ohio) notched 38 assists and had 12 digs for her first double-double of the season. Tiscareno walked away with four block assists to help lead the Beacons defensive effort.
BY THE NUMBERS
- All-time the Beacons are now 15-11 against Warriors and have dropped back-to-back regular season meetings
- Doyle now needs just four block solos for her 100th, and is now at 279 career total blocks, which ranks her fifth all-time in program history
- Komminsk now sits with 835 career assists, as she looks to become the 11th player in program history to record 1,000 assists in a career as a Beacon
- Parker also finished with a team-high three service aces
WHO'S NEXT
The Beacons will travel to Hartford, CT where they will play a tri-match at Trinity College. The Beacons will face Kean University (NJ) at 1 p.m. followed by a 3 p.m. match with the host Bantams.
