Williamtown, MA – The Sage Colleges' women's volleyball team opened competition on Friday night in the 2014 NCAA Regional Tournament, hosted by the top seeded Ephs of Williams College. The 2014 appearance marked the program's third appearance in NCAA Tournament play, while Williams (26-4) was making the program's 12th showing in the NCAA Tournament. Williams advances to the regional semifinals with the win over Sage, 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-23), while the Gators' season came to a wrap (25-7).
The first set began with a 4-4 tie, before Eph Catherine Egan took down consecutive balls at the net and senior Claire Miller smashed the backline. Gator senior tri-captain Helen Putriment (Troy, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville) fought back with a Sage kill, but Williams rocketed onwards, 12-6, and the Gators called time-out. Junior setter Ryan Farley broke twenty points on her serve, providing one service ace and setting up two kills for Tori Jasuta. Three kills from Ephs Egan, Raea Rasmussen, and Claire Miller wrapped up the first set for the Ephs, 25-12.
Eph Egan and Sage's senior Rachel Martin (Troy, NY/Troy) exchanged kills at the start of the second set, but Ephs Rasmussen, Miller, and Farley dealt consecutive kills, followed by a one-handed block from Miller, setting the score at 7-2. The Ephs held their lead, but the Gators took a few long rallies and gathered kills from Martin, setting the score at 19-14. Williams' Egan captured kills with well-placed tips, and Raea Rasmussen cranked out a kill to take the second set, 25-18.
A service ace from Eph libero Caitie Benell opened the third match 2-1, but a cross-kill from Sage junior Morgan Robinson (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa) tied the score at fives. Strong defense from Sage maintained their lead, but quick swings from Lane and Egan tied the score again at 14-14. A service ace from Jasuta followed by an outside kill from Rasmussen brought the Ephs back up, leading 17-14. The score tied again after a service ace from Putriment and a kill by sophomore Michayla Berard (Binghamton, NY/Susquehanna Valley) pushed Sage's score 21-20 when the Ephs called a time-out. Jasuta swung away to regain Williams' lead at 22-21, and a clever roll shot set the Ephs at match point. Farley set Egan up for a quick middle attack that smashed the floor for game point, 25-23.
Williams' front row was led by Catherine Egan with 13 kills, followed by Raea Rasmussen and Tori Jasuta with 11 and 10. Katherine Lane guarded the net with 3 blocks, and Jasuta covered back-court with 15 digs.
Williams' head coach Christi Kelsey stated, "Sage did some excellent stuff out there tonight. Our middle hitters made a difference for us, and Ryan Farley made good decisions." Eph middle hitter Catherine Egan added, "we had to work through those first jitters, but we have so much fun playing together."
The Sage Colleges was led by Martin with 8 kills and junior middle hitter Mickey Mango (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) with 3 blocks. Sophomore Siena Wilder (Ballston Spa, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Spa) and sophomore setter Rachel Liebig (Harftord, NY/Hartford) protected the court with 14 and 10 digs, respectively. Rookie Missy Scheiderman (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) added 5 digs for Sage in the action. Liebig finished the night with 20 setting assists.
"Our goal was to get to the NCAA tournament, and we were thrilled to win our conference," said Sage head coach Sandy Augstein-Collins. Senior outside Helen Putriment commented, "What we could handle, we were all over. It felt good."
The Ephs continue their 12th NCAA appearance, playing Babson College tomorrow at 5 p.m. in Chandler Gymnasium. Sage Colleges concludes their season with a 0-3 NCAA tournament record and 25-7 overall.
Putriment wraps her stellar career ranked No. 2 all-time in
career kills (1,354) career kills, while standing No. 3 in career
digs with 1,700. She is one of just three players in the history of
Sage women's volleyball with 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career
digs.
