Veasey Reaches 1,000 Kills, Helps Pride to Regis Fest Sweep

WESTON, Mass. – Senior captain Katryna Veasey (Quincy, Mass.) became the first Regis College volleyball player to reach the 1,000-kill mark in a career as she helped the Pride sweep both University of St. Joseph (25-18, 25-15, 25-20) and Albertus Magnus College (25-21, 25-19, 25-15) Saturday afternoon at Higgins Court.

Regis 3, St. Joseph (Conn.) 0

The Pride raced out to a 9-3 lead in the first set, including two kills by Rita Dow (Nashua, N.H.) and two service aces from Meg Adams (Ware, Mass.). The Blue Jays scored five unanswered points, led by a kill and a service ace from Nina Lestrud, to pull to within one at 9-8.

On the next point, Veasey notched her 1,000^th career kill, adding to her school-record total. It also started a 7-2 scoring run for the Pride. USJ closed to within two with four straight points, but Regis closed out the opening set with a 9-3 scoring run, including three blocks involving Dow.

Regis quickly gained control of the second set, pulling ahead 15-4, including consecutive service aces by Veasey. The Blue Jays rallied back with a 9-1 scoring stretch, with Hannah Benson contributing a block assist, a kill, and a service ace. The Pride clinched the second set with an 8-1 scoring run, including a kill and a block assist from Julia Pelland (Brockton, Mass.).

St. Joseph (5-6, 0-3 GNAC) scored the first three points of the third set, but Regis quickly responded with seven straight points, including a kill and a block assist from Nia Pires (Cambridge, Mass.). Runs of five straight points and four points in a row allowed the Blue Jays to claim a 15-13 advantage, but two kills by Kate Flemming (Woburn, Mass.) helped the Pride take the lead for good as Regis completed the sweep.

Dow led the Pride with seven kills and five total blocks, while Veasey, Flemming, and Pelland earned six kills apiece. Veasey also earned four service aces, Adams picked up three aces to go along with nine digs, and Mica van der Meulen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led Regis with 12 digs.

Aminah Tsonga led the Blue Jays with nine kills, while Benson contributed four service aces and 11 digs. St. Joseph accumulated more attack errors (27) than kills (23), while Regis' service game was strong with 10 aces against only three service errors.

Regis 3, Albertus Magnus 0

Albertus Magnus (6-8, 0-3 GNAC) scored the first three points of the match, but Regis quickly responded with eight unanswered points, led by three service aces from Dow and two kills apiece from Veasey and Pelland. The Falcons outscored the Pride 10-4 to pull ahead, 14-13, but Regis retook the lead with four straight points and later clinched the first set on a Falcon attack error.

The Pride opened the second set by scoring nine of the first 10 points, led by Lauren Butt (Topsfield, Mass.) with a kill and three total blocks. The Falcons would eventually close to within three in a kill by Diana Kalman, but kills by Dow and Pelland closed out the second set in Regis' favor.

Regis took an 8-4 lead in the third set thanks in part to two kills apiece by Veasey and Butt before Albertus Magnus closed to within two on a kill by Kalman. Three kills by Veasey and two kills from Dow allowed the Pride to open a 20-10 advantage. The Falcons stayed alive in the set with three straight points before a kill by Olivia Pacheco (Waterford, Conn.) finished off the set and the match.

Veasey notched her seventh double-double of the season with 11 kills and 14 digs, while Pelland earned nine kills. Butt finished with eight kills on 15 attempts for a .533 hitting percentage to go along with seven total blocks, and Dow notched six service aces and five kills. Tori Ondris (Mineola, N.Y.) accumulated 22 assists, and van der Meulen added 12 digs to the winning effort.

Kalman led the Falcons with 14 kills and three total blocks, while Jaiden Williams earned 21 assists and nine digs. Maria Vazquez contributed seven kills, three service aces, and eight digs, and Jesselle Guzman led the team with 14 digs.

St. Joseph hosts Mitchell Wednesday, Oct. 2, starting at 7 p.m., while Albertus Magnus next plays at Baruch Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m.

Regis (5-10, 2-2 GNAC) remains home for a match against Fisher Tuesday, Oct. 1, beginning at 6 p.m.