After a tough loss to the tenth-ranked MIT Engineers, the Beacons returned home for a productive week of practice to prepare for their next non conference opponent. They would travel to Franklin, MA, to take on the Dean College Bulldogs on Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Bulldogs have had a poor start to the year with a 2–6 record and were desperate for a win against a solid opponent in UMass Boston.
In the first set, it looked as if Dean had the upper hand, leading 20–16 late, but stellar kills from Mya Perron, Lauren Westlund, and Mikayla Cleary, shrunk the Bulldog’s lead to just one. Another kill from Westlund started a 4-1 run for the Beacons, and Dean had to rebound quickly, now down 23-21 in a race to 25. The match was neck and neck, 24-23, in favor of UMass Boston, and Westlund again sealed the deal, winning the first set for the Beacons.
Set two was a different story. The Bulldogs didn’t score consecutive points until it was too late. UMass Boston led 18-6 when Dean finally went on a 5-1 run, but it just wasn’t enough. UMass Boston would cruise in set two, winning 25-13.
Set three was similar to set two. The Beacons sailed by Dean College again, winning the set 25-15, and the match. UMass Boston got the bounce-back win they needed, staying prepared and ready for their eventual Little East schedule. Lauren Westlund led UMass Boston in scoring with 16 kills, and Toni Guerra had an impressive eight service aces, bringing her season total to 21.
Next up for the Beacons was an away game in Northampton, MA, against the Smith College Pioneers on Saturday, Sept. 21. The Pioneers were 10-1 on the year with a three-game winning streak, with an impressive win against number 18, Wesleyan University. The Beacons had a tough task ahead of them, but they stayed ready in front of about 100 hostile fans.
The first set was tightly contested. Both teams traded runs, and neither was willing to let the other have the upper hand. Late in the set, UMass Boston went on a 4-0 run to reduce Smith’s lead to 22-21, but the Pioneers countered with a run of their own and took a competitive first set.
Set two was highly competitive as well. UMass Boston led 10-7 but Smith College went on a tear, leading as high as four points. It was close toward the end, with the Beacons only down by two, but the Pioneers showed they were the better team, ending the set on a 6-0 run.
UMass Boston was down 2-0 and needed a miracle reverse sweep to take the win. Set three was the same series of unfortunate events for the Beacons. They kept it competitive and had the advantage in the beginning, but Smith College was just better throughout. The Pioneers took the lead at the midpoint and never let up, again finishing the set on a run and handing UMass Boston a tough sweep.
Addie Blomgren collected four service aces in the game, and Lauren Westlund had herself a week, leading the Beacons in scoring again with nine. UMass Boston will have their first conference home game on Wed, Oct. 9, against the defending Little East champions, UMass Dartmouth.
