By Jen Fortin
Staff Writer
The Rams went 2-0 on Saturday against Emmanuel and Lasell, winning both matches 3-1.
After losing the first set against Emmanuel by two points, FSU fought back and won the next three sets 25-16, 25-17 and 25-16.
Alycia Rackliffe dominated with 27 kills and six blocks and was named MASCAC Volleyball Player of the Week, this being her sixth honor out of seven total weeks.
Julia Wan showed her strength with 11 kills, three service aces and seven blocks. Mackenzie Whalen provided 44 of the team total 51 assists and had two service aces.
Sarah Leonard totaled 21 digs against the Saints.
For Emmanuel, Cassie Chruscielski led the team with 10 kills and also eight errors. Setter Carly Church totaled 24 assists.
Marissa Catalado and Mary Shelow each had two service aces, while Cataldo also led with 18 digs.
In the first set, Framingham trailed 9-4 but eventually pulled ahead 15-10 from FSU kills and Emmanuel attack errors. The Saints came back and tied the set at 16. The teams tied again at 23 and Emmanuel got the last two set points from FSU service and attack errors.
The Rams went on to win the next three sets.
In the second game of the day, the Rams lost the first set 25-22 and then won the next three with scores of 26-24, 25-22 and 25-14.
Rackliffe tied her previous game with 27 kills and also had two service aces and five blocks. Leonard had 17 digs and two service aces.
Wan led again with the game-high of six blocks. Whalen also contributed 39 assists.
The Lasell Lasers’ Olivia Addington led with 14 kills. Setter Taylor Tezzi tied with FSU’s Whalen with 39 assists.
Lauren Piper secured four service aces against the Rams. Libero Caitlyn Garcia totaled 23 digs and 5- foot-5 Maeghan Calzetta-Partridge had five blocks.
Lasell led the first two sets with 32 combined kills compared to FSU’s 26. The last two sets were led by Framingham who totaled 21 while Lasell only had 13. Collectively, in all four sets, the Rams prevailed with 49 kills compared to their opponent’s total of 45.
The second set was a close match between the two teams, tying at 24 points. FSU gained the 25th point from a kill by Rackliffe and won the set after an attack error from Lasell.
The Rams come back from the weekend at a 15-9 record.
Wednesday’s game against Salem State was also senior night and the Rams celebrated one of the last regular season home games for No. 15 Alycia Rackliffe and No. 11 Julia Wan with a win.
The Rams went 3-0 against the Vikings, winning 25-11, 25-14 and 25-11.
Rackliffe had 12 kills while Thurber had seven. The two combined for only two errors. Whalen provided 24 of the 27 assists in the game.
The team totaled only one receiving error. Framingham collectively had 11 service aces, four coming from Leonard and three from Whalen.
Victoria Anderson led with nine digs and Wan had two blocks.
For the Salem State Vikings, Emily Hennessy led with six kills. Morgan Adams and Mackenzie Salls combined for 18 assists. Salls also provided the only service ace.
The team totaled 23 digs, with players averaging three or four digs each.
The three sets proved to be repetitive, with Framingham State having a nine-point serving spree with a Salem timeout midway through.
In set one, Anderson’s nine consecutive serves increased the Rams to 14-5. FSU won the set off of an attack error from Salem.
In the second set, Jocelyn Wilbur’s nine service points brought the Rams up 18-6, despite the second Salem State timeout in the middle of it. The set was won o/ of a kill by Deirdre Fay.
The third and final set contained a spree from Whalen and Meehan of a total of nine points. The Rams won the set with a kill by Wan.
This win for the Rams brings them to a 16-9 overall record and they top the MASCAC at 5-0. Salem State falls to 6-18 and 1-5 in the conference.
The Rams last home game is Saturday at 11:00 a.m. against 17-7 WPI and 16-9 Keene State.