Volleyball falls in MASCAC final, sets sights on redemption

By Izabela Gage Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams were defeated 3-1 by the Bridgewater State University Bears in the MASCAC Championship game Nov. 15. This wraps up the team’s season with a conference record of 6-2 and an overall record of 18-13. Junior Natalie Reynolds said, “At the start of this season, we had certain things to work on to make the court run smoothly. Staying aggressive on the court was the biggest. We improved dramatically on that throughout the year, and it’s what helped us punch a ticket to the championship.” Bridgewater started off the match with the first two points off a service error and a service ace. Reynolds earned FSU’s first kill off a set by Captain Stella Bailey, a senior. BSU answered with a kill, but a service error brought the score to 3-2. The Bears remained aggressive, delivering three consecutive service aces. Sophomore Sarah Medeiros broke through with a kill assisted by Bailey, but Bridgewater followed with three more kills and another ace to take a 12-3 lead. Framingham forced two attack errors, but BSU responded with two kills, a service ace, and a forced attack error to maintain a nine-point advantage. Junior Jaimee Lowe set up junior Emma Dobbins for her first kill of the game. A BSU block kept momentum on their side as they added another ace and kill for a 19-6 lead. Although the Rams forced another attack error, Bridgewater countered with two kills and capitalized on an FSU attack error. Two kills and a service ace closed the first set 25-7 for BSU. The second set began with a BSU point off an FSU attack error, but Framingham took a 2-1 lead after Bridgewater committed a service and attack error. BSU tallied a kill, but Reynolds blocked their next attempt and followed with a kill of her own. The Bears regained the lead with two kills, an attack error, and a service error by FSU, but the Rams stayed steady, forcing two attack errors. Bailey delivered an ace for a two-point lead before BSU answered with two kills to tie the set. Kills by sophomore Madysen Cedrone, Dobbins, and Lowe pushed FSU ahead 13-10. Bridgewater’s defensive pressure forced three straight attack errors, evening the score. The Rams responded with a Medeiros kill, assisted by Captain Carly Beaulieu, a senior, and two Bailey-to-Reynolds connections. BSU answered with two kills, an ace, and an FSU attack error for a 17-17 tie. Medeiros struck again, but the Bears responded with two kills, a service ace, and two attack errors. The teams traded points as the Rams regained the lead behind three Dobbins kills and two forced attack errors. A service error gave BSU a 25-24 advantage, but the Rams refused to let up. Each team added a kill, but FSU surged ahead with back-to-back kills by Cedrone and Bailey to lead 27-26. Forced into an attack error, Bridgewater dropped the final point, giving the Rams the second-set win. Framingham opened the third set 1-0 with a kill by Cedrone from freshman Kristina Santiago-Alers, but a service error tied the score. A bad set and a service ace pushed BSU ahead, followed by a kill and two attack errors for a 6-1 Bears lead. Dobbins broke their point streak with a kill, assisted by Cedrone, and an attack error and Reynolds kill brought FSU within two points of taking the lead. A service ace by Beaulieu closed the gap to one before a service error deepened the deficit to 7-5. Bridgewater extended their lead with a block on a Reynolds’ kill attempt and a kill. Reynolds and Medeiros answered with a kill each, and a service ace by Lowe brought the Rams within one. But BSU responded with a kill and an attack error for a two-point lead. Medeiros broke through the Bears’ defense once again for a kill, and Reynolds earned a service ace to bring the score to 11-10. Bridgewater took a 14-10 lead off an attack error and two kills. Junior Jamie Moniz put down a kill to bring the score to 14-11, but BSU responded with a kill and a service ace. Moniz tallied another kill, but the Bears answered with one of their own. A service error by the Bears gave the Rams another point, but BSU followed with three kills and forced an attack error for a 21-13 lead. Reynolds broke through with a kill off a set by Bailey, but Bridgewater blocked Reynolds' next attempt to earn another point. Bridgewater forced another attack error and added a kill to bring the score to 22-14. Framingham earned their last point of the set off an attack error, but three consecutive kills closed the set 25-15 for BSU. FSU started strong in the fourth set, taking a 4-0 lead with kills by Santiago-Alers and Cedrone, a service ace by Beaulieu, and an attack error. BSU answered with a kill and an attack error, but Reynolds counterattacked with a kill for a 5-2 lead. The Bears tallied another kill, but Reynolds struck again from Bailey to make it 6-3. Medeiros broke through the Bears’ front row and extended the lead before BSU added two kills to close the gap. Medeiros delivered again, and an attack error pushed the Rams ahead 9-8. Bridgewater tallied another kill before Reynolds added one of her own, but a service error tied the set once again. The Bears then produced a run of kills and an ace for a 13-10 lead, prompting a timeout. Bridgewater forced two attack errors, but Cedrone broke through with a kill. BSU countered with four straight points for an 18-11 edge. Reynolds added a kill, but the Bears extended their lead with two consecutive kills. After another timeout, BSU added an ace and two more kills. Framingham answered with points from a service error and a service ace by Bailey, but BSU closed the set 25-15 with a kill, winning the match 3-1. Reynolds said, “This team never gave up. No matter what the score was, we played like it was the last point and put up a good fight. I am so proud of how hard we fought for this.” Moniz said she believes the team has a powerful bond. “Throughout the season, we got better in harder games, playing over nerves, and coming together to play as a team.” She added, “I’m extremely excited for next year. … I’m ready to get back in the lab and start working even harder.” Reynolds was named 2025 Offensive Player of the Year, earning her a spot on the 2025 All-Conference First Team for the second year in a row. Reynolds said being recognized by the conference is “definitely such a great feeling, but I really couldn’t do it without my teammates. They push me to play my best every time, and I wouldn’t be here without every single one of them.” Bailey was named to the 2025 All-Conference Second Team for the fourth consecutive year. Moniz said, “I hope that after losing in the championship and taking a match in the game, it lights a fire for all of us to work hard to get back there and maybe be on the other side of it next time!” Reynolds said the team proved “that anything is possible, and the standard for next season is to return to the championship and bring home the title. “Getting ready to leave the program is definitely bittersweet, but we upcoming seniors have one more year to leave it all on the floor,” she added.