Liam Gambon
On Saturday, Sept. 22, the Framingham State Rams faced off against Anna Maria and Eastern
Connecticut State at home. The Rams took the first game against Anna Maria in a straight sweep but fell to Eastern Connecticut State in five sets.
In the first game against Anna Maria, the Rams outscored the Amcats 25-13 in the first set, 25-17 in the second, and achieved a decisive 25-9 third set victory.
Grace Caughey and Brandee Thomas led the Rams on the attack with seven kills from Caughey and nine from Thomas. Caughey converted seven kills on 16 swings while adding three digs. Thomas added in her nine kills on 18 swings with three digs as well.
Mackenzie Whalen contributed a game-high two assists along with 10 service aces and two digs.
In the Rams’ next game against the Warriors, the first set went to Eastern Connecticut after a strong performance from both teams that ended in a 25-23 heart-pumper.
In the next set, the Rams fired back with a 25-19 win to tie the game at 1.
The third was much like the first set in that it ended 25-23, but this time, the Rams won the set to pull within one set of winning the game.
The Warriors forced a fifth set, winning the fourth 25-17, the largest point differential of the game.
In the fifth-and-final set, the Warriors took a 15-13 win. The final set was the third of five that ended in just a two-point differential.
Brandey Rodriguez paced the Rams with 16 kills on 37 swings along with eight serving aces, while Thomas added 12 kills herself.
Alyssa Cafarelli grabbed a team best 26 digs, while Deirdre Fay added 25 digs of her own along with 11 kills.
In Framingham’s next game on Monday, Sept. 24, the Rams hosted Dean College.
The Rams swept Dean in three sets. The first set ended with a 25-10 victory, followed by a more dominant 25-9 win to go up 2-0. In the third set, the Rams put the game away with a 25-12 match-sealing victory.
Thomas recorded a match-best 11 kills on 20 attempts with a solid .500 attack percentage.
Rodriguez added in four kills of her own on 11 attempts to go along with seven service aces and three digs, while Fay chipped in Ave kills, six digs, three aces, and two assists. Alyssa Cafarelli pitched in seven digs, two kills, two aces, and two assists.
Whalen supported the team with a game-high 22 assists along with Ave digs, while Caughey contributed Ave kills, three aces, and eight defensive digs.
The Rams continued their home stand, hosting Salem State on Wednesday, Sept. 26.
The result of the match was a 3-0 loss for the Rams. Although they were swept, the Rams lost by only two in the first set and four in the second and third sets.
In the first set of the match, neither team had a greater lead than two points until Salem State took a 24-21 lead towards the end.
In the second set, it seemed Salem State was going to blow out Framingham State, storming out to a 18-9 lead before the Rams battled back and made the set 22-20. Salem State won the set 25-21 despite Framingham’s comeback.
The Rams held the lead early in the third set before Salem State rallied as they went on an 11-0 run that eventually sealed the game.
Rodriguez led the Rams with a team-high 11 kills on 24 attempts along with four digs. Thomas pitched in eight kills with Ave digs, while Cafarelli led the team with 18 digs.
Whalen contributed 23 set assists and seven digs, while Caughey added in four kills, two aces, and 10 defensive digs.