Women's Volleyball Splits Tri-Matches with Rhode Island College and Lesley

THE BASICS 
Match 1: Salem State University, 0 vs Rhode Island College, 3 (25-13, 25-22, 25-23)
Match 2: Salem State University, 3 (25-19, 25-11, 25-12) vs Lesley University, 0

Records: 
Salem State University Vikings (3-5)
Rhode Island College Anchormen (5-3)
Lesley University Lynx (0-6)

Location: Salem, Mass. - Twohig Gymnasium

Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025

THE LEAD — The Salem State University women's volleyball team split its tri-match action on Saturday by dropping its first contest versus Rhode Island College, 3-0 but then took its second against Lesley in a clean sweep. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (Match 1 vs. RIC)

• Early in the opening set, the Anchormen raced out to a 6-2 lead, but the Vikings would respond and even things at behind a 6-2 rally. Despite tying things early, Rhode Island College pulled away thanks to an 11-1 surge that made it 19-9. Talia Lewis led the offense for the Anchormen by tallying five kills. While the Vikings pulled within seven (19-12) after a Celia Carbone (Lynnfield, Mass.) ace, Rhode Island closed out the set outscoring Salem, 6-1 for a 25-12 set victory.
• In the second set, both sides went back and forth early on as neither side saw a lead larger than three.  The Vikings would grab an 11-8 lead after a Bella Coccia (Westfield, Mass.) kill, but the Anchormen retook the lead and went up 14-11 with a 6-0 run highlighted by two Olivia Rollinson kills.
• Later in the set, Salem pulled within one (17-16) after taking advantage of a Rhode Island College error. However, that would be the closest the hosts would get as the Anchormen grabbed their largest lead of the set (23-18) with a 6-2 stretch. The Vikings made it hard for the Anchormen down the stretch as the Blue and Orange pulled within two (24-22) thanks to an error and Presley Shairs (Salem, Mass.) kill. However, the visitors took the second set by taking advantage of a Salem error, 25-22.
• In the third set, after both sides were tied at four, Salem utilized a quick 5-1 run to go up 9-5, highlighted by a Gianna Mahoney (Revere, Mass.) ace. However, Rhode Island responded and evened things at 13, behind an 8-4 rally. Later after the visitors would go up 16-13, the Vikings answered again and recaptured a one-point lead (17-16). Gabriella Martinez (Peabody, Mass.) chipped in two kills for the Vikings' rally.
• However, both sides continued to play each other back and forth. Towards the end of the set, Salem found themselves up 23-22 after an Ariana Barrows (Danvers, Mass.) kill. Unfortunately, Rhode Island College closed out the match scoring three-straight points and secured the 25-22 match win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (Match 1 vs. RIC)

• Shairs led the Vikings offense with seven kills in the match. With those kills, she moved into second all-time in program history for most kills (576).
• Carbone guided the Salem offense with 17 assists on the day. She has dished out 15 or more assists in four matches this season.
• Defensively, Kailey Roche (Billerica, Mass.) led the way with 22 digs.
• Lewis and Sarina Marines both led the Rhode Island College offense with 10 kills apiece. 
• On the defensive end, Marines led the squad with 20 digs.
• Rhode Island is currently 9-0 all-time versus Salem. 

HOW IT HAPPENED (Match 2 vs. LES)

• In the opening moments of the first set, the two sides went back and forth. With the score tied at 10, Salem gave itself breathing room thanks to an 8-3 run (18-13). During the Vikings' scoring stretch, Shairs chipped in two kills along with a Mahoney ace.
• Later in the frame, after Salem would go up 24-15 from a Shairs ace, the Lynx chipped away and found themselves down six courtesy of a 4-0 rally that made it 24-19. Korinne Hall-Johnson led the Lesley offense with an ace and kill, but Salem closed out the first set thanks to a Lesley error, resulting in a 25-19 set win.
• After an Abbie Price kill gave the Lynx a 5-4 advantage, the Vikings' offense surged ahead thanks to a 15-0 run that made it 19-5. Ellie Hernsdorf (Granby, Conn.) highlighted the offense with two aces while Allie Ulmschneider (Somerset, Mass.) chipped in three kills.
• Despite a Price kill breaking up the Salem scoring run, the Vikings were not phased and closed out the second set outscoring the Lynx, 6-5, resulting in a 25-11 set victory. 
• While Salem opened the third set with a 7-3 lead, the Lynx chipped away and pulled within three (8-5) thanks to multiple Salem errors. However, just like the second set, Salem utilized a big scoring run to pull away. The Blue and Orange would go up 21-9 courtesy of a 13-4 burst highlighted by three Shairs aces. From then on, Salem secured the match win by outscoring Lesley, 4-3, for a 25-12 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (Match 2 vs. LES)

• Shairs led the Salem offense with 10 kills and a season-high six aces.
• Hernsdorf dished out a career-high 21 assists on the afternoon.
• Alawnuh Dunda led the Lynx offense with six kills.
• Shae Thomas dished out a team-high seven helpers in the match.

UP NEXT

• Salem heads out for a quick road matchup at the University of New England on Tuesday, September 16, at 7:00 p.m.