09/23/2008
Volleyball Falls to Smith College, 3-1

WORCESTER, MASS. 9/23/08 - The Clark University women's volleyball team lost a four-game match to Smith College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Tuesday evening at the Kneller Athletic Center. Game scores were 20-25, 15-25, 25-21, and 20-25.

Clark falls to 4-7 (1-2 NEWMAC), while Smith improves to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in league play.

First-year Parker Edmonds (Fort Worth, Tex.) and junior Karleen Porcena (Roxbury, Mass.) had six and five kills, respectively, to lead the Cougars. Junior Emily Visone (West Hempstead, N.Y.) chipped in with 26 digs and Brittany Meadows (Los Angeles, Cali.) contributed with a season-high 17 digs.

Junior Mikal Minarich (Hobart, Ind.) led the Smith offense with 14 kills, six digs and a pair of service aces. Junior Bethany Weis (Windham, N.H.) added six kills and three solo blocks, while junior Brianne Connizzo (Demarest, N.J.) led the defense with 14 digs.

Down 9-20 in game one, Clark mounted a comeback highlighted by five straight service points from Kortney Kelley (Cummaquid, Mass.), a pair of kills from Kristin McGinty (Gypsum, Colo.) and Maritza Fair (Bronx, N.Y.), and a couple of Pioneer miscues, to bring the game within two (19-21). But Minarichs kill ended the rally and Smith took the first set, 25-20.

Clark took its first lead of the night (3-2) on a misplay by Smith early in the second game, but the Pioneers went on a 15-2 run to put the game out of reach.

After trailing 15-16 in the third set, the Cougars took a four point lead (19-16) off the hands of McGinty, who tallied a kill and a block during the spurt, and a service ace by Visone, and held on for the 25-21 victory.

Smith only led by one (21-20) in the deciding fourth set, but notched four unanswered points to seal the victory.

Clark is off until next Tuesday when they travel to Springfield College (7 p.m.). Smith will play in the MIT Invitational this weekend.