BOSTON, Mass. (October 4, 2025) – Emerson College split a Saturday tri-match at Brown & Plofker Gymnasium sweeping the University of Southern Maine 3-0 (25-11, 25-23, 25-16) in a non-conference match after Springfield College dealt the Lions their first NEWMAC defeat with a 3-1 decision (23-25, 25-19, 25-13, 25-20) to open the day in a Conference matchup.

Emerson 3, Southern Maine 0 (25-11, 25-23, 25-16)

First-year Dalena Garrett paced Emerson in its win over Southern Maine with a season-high matching 13 kills with just one hitting error for a .571 hitting percentage, three digs and a block. Sophomore Sophia Schiappa added seven kills (.375), a team-high 17 assists, five digs and a service ace, while classmate Chloe Hokenson dished out 12 assists with six digs and a block.

Freshman Reese Helisek led Southern Maine with 19 assists, four digs and two service aces, while sophomore Ella Koehler delivered nine kills and eight digs.

After rolling to the first set win, Emerson rallied from 16-10 deficit in the second set with a 9-4 run to pull within a point (20-19) after a kill from sophomore Lorena Rivera. After Southern Maine pulled back in front by two, the Tigers closed out the set with a 6-2 run, sparked by a block from Rivera and first-year Catherine McDonough, before classmate Lizi Horning closed out the set with a kill.

Emerson sealed the match in set three, paced by four Garrett kills, two blocks and three service aces. The Lions hit .357 as a team in the third set after hitting .500 in the first.

Springfield 3, Emerson 1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-13, 25-20)

Springfield bounced back from a narrow setback in the opening set to win the next three and hand Emerson its first NEWMAC loss the season. The Pride erased an 8-0 deficit in the fourth set in closing out the match.

Junior Tori Colosimo engineered the Springfield attack with 30 assists, adding 13 digs, seven kills, three service aces and three blocks. Sophomore Alexa Bonato led the Pride with eight kills (.350).

First-year Shirley Yu led Emerson with 12 kills, while Hokenson totaled ten kills, 19 assists, five digs and an ace. Garrett contributed seven kills and eight digs, while McDonough chipped in seven kills (.600) and a block solo.

Emerson took the opening set behind five kills, an ace and four assists from Hokenson. Springfield leveled the match by breaking a 15-15 deadlock in the second with a 7-2 run. The Pride rolled in the third set but then needed to dig out of an 8-0 hole in the fourth to clinch the win. Springfield pulled even with an 11-3 run and then took the lead for good with a 7-2 run after a McDonough block had restored a two-point cushion for the Lions.

Up Next:

Emerson (10-7, 3-1 NEWMAC) is right back in action here on Boylston Street on Tuesday as it continues a four match homestand with a NEWMAC clash against Babson College at Brown & Plofker Gym at 7 p.m. Springfield (15-2, 4-0 NEWMAC) hosts Wheaton College for a NEWMAC match on Tuesday at 7 p.m., while Southern Maine (4-13, 0-1 LEC) visits UMass Boston for a Little East Conference match on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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