WPI claims first NEWMAC victory 3-0 against Mount Holyoke

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Dizes

Mount Holyoke College volleyball players fought a hard battle against Worcester Polytechnic Institute last Tuesday, but were eventually defeated.

By Sindy Maldonado ’27

Sports Editor

Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s volleyball team capitalized on strong defensive net play and a remarkable second-set comeback to earn its first NEWMAC conference win of the season, sweeping Mount Holyoke College 3-0. The score per set was 25-18, 25-23 and 25-20. The game took place Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium in Worcester, Mass.

WPI made its mark at the net, recording 11 total team blocks and holding Mount Holyoke to a .000 hitting percentage. Outside hitter and first-year Niki Szavuly spearheaded the Engineers' attack with nine kills meanwhile while middle blocker and sophomore Olivia Hutchinson delivered an efficient eight kills on just 13 swings (.462). Defensively, senior Zeala VanDamme registered six block assists, and junior Anastasia Kelnik contributed another five.

The turning point of the match unfolded in the second set. After Mount Holyoke orchestrated a 10-3 run to build a commanding 19-13 lead, the Lyons extended their advantage to 21-14. However, the Engineers mounted a furious rally. Spikes from Szavuly pulled WPI even at 23-23, before a final Szavuly kill and a joint block by Kelnik and VanDamme capped the late comeback to put WPI up 2-0 overall.

Mount Holyoke fought back in a tight third set featuring 11 ties and five lead changes, but 11 attack errors ultimately thwarted the Lyons' efforts. WPI broke a 17-17 tie and secured the match behind back-to-back late kills from outside hitter and sophomore Bridget Spees and Kelnik.

Game leaders including outside hitter Eliza Vest ’30 paced Mount Holyoke with a double-double, recording a match-high 10 kills and 10 digs. Middle hitter Layla Abdullah ’30 contributed six kills and five total blocks, while libero Kyra Staples ’27 anchored the defense with 20 digs.

As of Oct. 4, Lyons Volleyball has had six wins out of the 10 games since beginning their season, and always deliver a fiery match.

Mount Holyoke volleyball will next compete on Friday, Oct. 9 against MIT  at 6 p.m. in a home game.

Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Volleyball maintains balance of wins and loses

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

Mount Holyoke Volleyball has had a pattern of wins and losses throughout the beginning of the season, with their longest winning streak being three.

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

As the fall season dawns and students return from the break, Mount Holyoke’s volleyball team has been busy. The months of September and October have been a series of wins and losses that hang in a precarious balance.

The first match of the season was against the University of Saint Joseph on Saturday, Aug. 30, in West Hartford, Connecticut. The Lyons emerged victorious 3-0. They later competed against Eastern Connecticut State University on the same date and location, where they lost 3-1.

“This season, some of our players have moved around positions, which has allowed us to spread out our offense and become a less predictable team,” Sadie Duffrin ’26 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News.

September kicked off with a game against Amherst College on Friday, Sept. 5, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Despite the team’s valiant efforts, the Lyons lost 3-1 again. The following day, Mount Holyoke competed in a match against Fitchburg State University in West Hartford, Connecticut, and prevailed 3-0. Later that same day, the Lyons triumphed against their host, the University of Hartford, with a victory of 3-1.

“We’ve also been trying to have the mentality of adjustment and how to exploit what the other team is doing instead of focusing on what we’re doing,” Duffrin continued.

A third consecutive win for Mount Holyoke was earned on Friday, Sept. 12, in Poughkeepsie, New York. In a match against Mount Saint Mary College, the Lyons won 3-0. Later that day, the streak was ended by a defeat to the host, Vassar College, with a loss of 3-0.

With these alternating wins and losses throughout September and October, the team's win-loss record is in an oscillating pattern.

“It’s been a great season so far, and we hope to keep improving and win more conference games as it goes on,” Duffrin concluded.

Mount Holyoke’s volleyball team has since competed in a game against Wellesley College on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. They will next face Babson College on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Mount Holyoke College.

Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Team of the Week: Mount Holyoke Volleyball

Pictured above: Mount Holyoke Volleyball competing in their 2019-2020. Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Athletics.

By Gigi Picard ’22

Sports Editor 

This edition’s team of the week is Mount Holyoke Volleyball. 

Captain Brayden Walden ’21 talked about what the team has been up to. According to her, Mount Holyoke Volleyball held several virtual meetings in the summer and fall. During the summer, the team posted challenges on their social media as a way to build “relationships within the team,” Walden said. “This was always fun to do and see how others did it while also keeping our hands on a volleyball while away from campus,” she added.

There is currently one first-year on the team and two other walk-on players. Walden stated that they “fit into our team perfectly and we’ve all had fun getting to know them and slowly getting them used to the craziness that is the volleyball team[.]” She added that the new players are “super outgoing” and the team is overall happy with the new recruits. 

Additionally, Head Volleyball Coach Iris Carpio started a Friends of MHC Cans for Change collection over the summer with Assistant Rowing Coach Cara Murphy. Collectively, the team raised $1,500 for the NAACP. 

“With redemption centers closed due to the pandemic, we offered to drive and collect cans from colleagues and friends across campus at their homes for about two months and redeemed the recyclables for change that added up to a nice donation [toward] change,” Carpio said.

In terms of its fall training schedule, the team works out twice a week. Outside of workouts, the team meets virtually every other Saturday to catch up. According to Carpio, the team talks about their plans, academics, goals and other topics.

Walden reminisced about what the team misses besides playing on the court, including post-practice boba runs and team bonding. “I think the biggest thing [our] team misses about the season is just getting to be around each other and hanging out,” she said. “We are lucky that, while we’re a small team, we are also a pretty close-knit team. So I think we are all missing just seeing each other in person and getting to hang out with each other.”

”I'm extremely proud of how my team has handled all the ongoing issues,” Capro added. “It’s been a very heavy time for everyone and they have handled things with thoughtfulness, understanding [and] flexibility [while] supporting one another.”