By Izabela Gage
Asst. Sports Editor
The Rams defeated the MCLA Trailblazers 3-1 in an intense home game Oct. 22. They now have an overall record of 9-12 and have evened out their conference record to 2-2.
The Trailblazers put the first point of the action-packed game on the board, but the Rams earned three points right after, including a service ace by sophomore Anneli DiVirgilio.
MCLA gained possession of the ball and tallied two points before sophomore Natalie Reynolds countered with three back-to-back kills, all of which were assisted by junior Captain Stella Bailey.
After a few attack errors from both teams, the Rams were up 11-7, and sophomore Jamie Moniz reinforced the deficit with her first kill of the game, assisted by Bailey.
The Trailblazers tallied four points, bringing the score to 13-10, before freshman Madysen Cedrone added a kill and Reynolds added a block to the score.
Reynolds dominated defensively with four more kills, keeping Framingham’s lead at 19-12.
The Rams won the set 25-17, including a kill from freshman Hope Verhoeven, a kill from freshman Sarah Medeiros, a service ace by junior Captain Carly Beaulieu, and a block by Moniz.
MCLA started the second set earning 3 points, but Framingham came back with two kills from Reynolds and a kill from Medeiros - all assisted by Bailey.
Bailey earned a service ace before the Trailblazers tallied four points, taking the lead 9-6.
Reynolds responded with her eleventh kill of the game, but MCLA took back control and put 6 more points on the board.
Reynolds once again came back with aggression, earning another kill. This started the comeback for the Rams, as they earned 3 more points, including a service ace by Reynolds and a kill by Verhoeven.
Service errors went back-and-forth for the next few points, bringing the score to 17-12 before Verhoeven made another kill and Beaulieu tallied a service ace.
The Rams kept their composure in the deficit, and evened out the score out to 18-18 with 4 back-to-back points.
Sophomore Jaimee Lowe tallied a service ace with Reynolds earning three more kills before the end of the set, with sophomore Emma Dobbins contributing a kill for the last point.
Tensions stayed high in the third set, with Framingham earning points from kills by DiVirgilio, Reynolds, Medeiros, and Verhoeven.
The score remained tied until the Trailblazers took a 3-point lead, 15-12.
Attack errors by MCLA worked in Framingham’s favor, helping them keep up with the pace of the game.
Three kills from Reynolds and one from Beaulieu broke the deficit, and the Rams gained control at 25-24.
MCLA won the set 27-25 with two kills and a service ace.
The Trailblazers stayed aggressive, taking the lead of the fourth set 4-1. The Rams fought to catch up, and evened the score to 4-4, including a kill from Dobbins.
Unfortunately, MCLA controlled the game with a 6-point deficit. Framingham did not relent, with Dobbins, Reynolds, and Moniz contributing one kill each to help bring the score to 12-10.
The Trailblazers gained possession of the ball, and earned 5 points off attack errors by the Rams.
Five kills by Verhoeven, two kills by Reynolds, and a service ace by Dobbins supported the Rams’ comeback, and they successfully brought the score to 23-22.
A final kill and final block from Medeiros, assisted by Moniz, finished the set 26-24.
Reynolds tallied 26 kills in 55 attempts, earning a .382 hitting percentage.
Reynolds was recognized by a Division III database as a top attacker of the week Oct. 23, earning fourth place among all Division III players nationwide. She started in four games and recorded a .355 hitting percentage with a total of 65 kills in 141 total attempts.
Reynolds said, “We are determined to play more games with the same intensity we had against MCLA and we are excited for our next conference matchup.”
Cedrone said, “On and off the court, we strive for excellence through communication, energy, consistency, and giving 110% for every point.
“It’s critical that we execute during the times we need it most, and last night was a great example of getting the job done in a high-pressure scenario,” she added.
Reynolds said, “We are working on having the mindset that we can and will get to every ball, and will hopefully continue to improve on this heading into more conference play.”
DiVirgilio said, “When we play good teams, they are going to make good plays. We need to stay resilient and fight as hard as we can to stay on top.”
She added the team is building on the momentum and learning from their losses to “finish the season strong.”
Most recently, the Rams shut out the New England College Pilgrims 3-0 Oct. 24.
The Rams head to Worcester State for a MASCAC matchup against the Lancers Oct. 30.