
By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams hosted the Bridgewater State Bears Oct. 1 for their conference opener. The Rams unfortunately lost 3-0 with scores of 25-18, 25-24, and 25-18. They now hold a 4-11 overall record and a 0-1 conference record. The Bears started the game with the first point, which sophomore Natalie Reynolds met with a kill, assisted by junior Captain Stella Bailey. Framingham kept the momentum and tallied two more points, bringing the score to 3-1. With the Rams leading 9-8, sophomore Anneli DiVirgilio tallied four service aces, gaining the lead 13-8. BSU responded with two kills, but freshman Sarah Medeiros stayed on top of defense with a kill, assisted by Reynolds. Bridgewater evened the score, bringing the score to 14-14. The Rams were in the lead 17-16, but could not keep up with the Bears, who tallied eight straight points. FSU could only gain one more point before BSU finished the set 25-18. Framingham started the second set strong, putting the first two points on the board. Bridgewater only tallied one before Reynolds struck another kill. The Bears once again gained the lead 9-8, until the Rams took control tallying four points, including a kill by sophomore Emma Dobbins. BSU then scored one point before FSU earned four more points with kills from Medeiros, Dobbins, and Reynolds, and an attack error. The set was tied 23-23 and FSU struggled to gain back the lead before BSU tallied two points, ending the set 25-23. The Rams put the first point on the board in the third set, but the Bears scored three of their own soon after. The teams fought for the lead until the game was tied 6-6, and Bridgewater tallied four straight points. Framingham bounced back and was able to score five points, which Bridgewater could only meet with three, once again tying the game 11-11. The lead kept switching off, with the score coming to 16-16. BSU earned another six points before FSU could respond with only one. The Rams scored two more points before the end of the game, with the Bears winning the match 25-18. Bailey persisted during the loss, totaling 19 set assists and 15 digs in the match. Reynolds finished the game with 10 kills in 37 attempts, as well as two digs and an assist. Dobbins helped out defensively with six kills. “As a team, we are looking to take this loss as motivation for Friday’s game. We are looking to improve our overall consistency and take this loss as a learning curve,” Reynolds said. Reynolds added, “We are a relatively young team this year consisting of mostly underclassmen, so strengthening our connection on the court is something we always look to improve on.” Captain Carly Beaulieu contributed 10 digs and four service aces. DiVirgilio stayed on top of defense with six digs. She also created opportunities on offense with two assists. Freshman Madysen Cedrone added eight digs, an ace, and a kill to the team’s efforts. Medeiros helped out defensively with three kills and two digs. “We are working toward our goal of being more aggressive and intentional on the court in the front row and as a team overall,” Cedrone said. Cedrone also said that last year’s team was dominant in their conference, and it has set expectations for the 2024 season. She said, “With our talent and high potential on this team, we are expecting to perform just as aggressively as last year.” Reynolds said, “We are determined and working hard to get to the MASCAC Championship. We know how it feels to win and we are craving that feeling again.” The Rams travel to Plymouth State University for a non-conference matchup Oct. 4. [Editor’s Note: News Editor Dylan Pichnarcik contributed to this article.]