REGIS TAKES 3-0 DECISION FROM AMC

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College's Julie Endara (Boca Raton, Fla.) registered a match-high eight kills as the Pride defeated Anna Maria College, 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-14) on Wednesday night in non-conference women's volleyball action. The Pride improves to 5-11 this year, while the AMCATS drop to 1-8 in 2012.

In set one, the score was tied early on at 6-6 before an AMC error and back-to-back service aces from Sara Gold (North Hollywood, Calif.) gave the Pride a 9-6 lead, prompting an AMCATS timeout. Regis' Samantha Bliss (Framingham, Mass.) registered a pair of kills following the break in action, starting a 14-3 Regis run that gave the Pride a 23-9 lead. The AMCATS scored four straight points, including an Alyssa Haberman (Boca Raton, Fla.) kill, to make it 23-13, but the Pride's Vanessa Noesi (Puerta Plata, D.R.) registered a solo block and followed that with her first kill of the match to give Regis a 25-13 win in set one.

Set two began the same as the teams were tied at 6-6 and traded points until a pair of service aces by Megan Pratt (Rockland, Mass.) and back-to-back kills by Endara and Noesi gave the Pride a 13-7 lead. AMC scored three quick points capped off by a Kayla Cummings (Auburn, Maine) kill to make it 13-10, but the Pride responded with a 7-2 run to extend their lead to 20-12. Anna Maria scored four late points to make it 20-16 before kills by Pratt and Jackie Silver (West Hills, Calif.) sandwiched an AMCATS error, leading to an Anna Maria timeout. Samantha Bliss registered one of her match-high four service aces out of the timeout, and Endara ended game two with a kill that gave the Pride a 2-0 lead in the match.

Game three was a back-and-forth affair before Sandy Acosta (Lawrence, Mass.) connected on a service ace to give Anna Maria a 7-6 lead. The Pride responded by taking a 10-8 lead, and scored three straight points including a Sara Gold service ace that forced another Anna Maria timeout with the Pride leading 13-8. Anna Maria got as close as 15-10 before the Pride stretched its lead out to 23-13 leading to another AMC timeout. The two teams traded points before an over ball by Kelsey Heath (Lowell, Mass.) landed inbounds to give Regis the 25-14 win.

Julie Endara led the Pride with eight kills, while Jackie Silver added six of her own and Samantha Bliss, Megan Pratt, and Vanessa Noesi added four kills apiece. Soraia Pinto (Brockton, Mass.) handed out a match high 23 assists to go with four digs, while Bliss added a match-high 14 digs and four service aces. Sara Gold chipped in with eight digs.

The AMCATS were led by four kills apiece from Alyssa Haberman and Kayla Cummings. Samantha Parker (Athol, Mass.) dished out 10 assists and added seven digs, while Brittany Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.) led the defense with nine digs.

Regis returns to action on Saturday afternoon as the Pride hosts Wentworth and Massachusetts Maritime in a tri-match as part of the first annual Pride Fest. The Crimson and Gold take on Wentworth at 11:00 a.m. and following a 1:00 p.m. match between the Leopards and Mass. Maritime, Regis rounds out the day with a 3:00 p.m. match against the Buccaneers.

Anna Maria looks to snap a five game skid when the AMCATS host Castleton and Suffolk in a tri-match on Saturday as well. Anna Maria takes on Castleton in the first match of the day at 11:00 a.m.