Dave Geringer                                                                                      Athletic Department                                                            (508) 990-9651

Sports Information Director                                                               Tripp Athletic Center sportsinfo@umassd.edu

CORSAIRS RALLY, FINISH FIFTH AT J & W INVITATIONAL

PROVIDENCE, RI-The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth volleyball team saved their best for last at the Johnson and Wales Tournament this weekend.

After dropping their first two matches, the Corsairs won their final two and finished fifth at the tournament.

UMass Dartmouth lost their opener at Johnson and Wales, 30-26, 30-24 and 30-19 and then fell to Bridgewater State, 30-24, 30-11 and 30-26. However, they came back Saturday, defeating Wheaton, 30-27, 31-29 and 30-25, then holding off Eastern Nazarene for fifth place, 30-17, 21-30, 30-24 and 30-26.

Junior setter Lauren Daly (Brockton, MA/Brockton HS) led the Corsairs. She had 18 assists against Johnson and Wales, added 65 more in UMD’s final two matches, and was the Corsairs’ lone representative on the All-Tournament Team. Sophomore middle hitter Nazareth Cardoso (Brockton, MA/Brockton HS) had eight kills Friday and 19 in Saturday’s final two matches, freshman libero Melanie Staiger (Bourne, MA/Bourne HS) had 38 digs in the final two matches, and freshman middle hitter Hilary Teichart (Bourne, MA/Bourne HS) had 11 kills against Eastern Nazarene.

“We played aggressively in the last two matches, and that’s why we won,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Jocelyn Costa. “We have definitely improved in the last week. Our offense was much better against Eastern Nazarene Saturday than it was the last time we played them (five-game loss in the season opener September 6^th).

 The Corsairs improved to 2-3 with their two victories Saturday. They will return to action when they visit Salve Regina Tuesday evening.

UMASS DARTMOUTH VOLLEYBALL