NEWTON, Mass. — No. 24 Smith College extended its winning streak to nine matches Saturday, sweeping New England College 25-6, 25-17, 25-10 and host Lasell University 25-15, 25-14, 25-20 at Lasell Athletic Center. The Bears (18-1) matched the 1988 team for the best 19-match start in program history, hitting .381 across the six sets and giving up just 82 points on the day.
Smith's serve set the tone in the opener, as the Bears recorded 20 aces and held NEC to a .038 hitting percentage. Hana Suzuki (Chattanooga, TN/East Hamilton High School) led the way with five aces, including three straight to open the third set, and added 14 assists and seven digs. Ruth Tullis (Edmond, OK/Oklahoma Christian School) closed the first set with seven straight points on her serve, four of them aces. Skye Higashihara (Honolulu, HI/'Iolani School) added four aces, 15 assists and nine digs. Anna Feuer (Frederick, MD/Governor Thomas Johnson) paced the attack with 12 kills on 17 swings and hit .647. Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, CA/The Buckley School) posted nine errorless kills, hit .750 and served two aces, and Stella Jones (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood High School) added six kills and three aces.
Against Lasell, Smith spread the offense and held a 9-3 edge in team blocks. Uma Schulz (Riverwoods, IL/Deerfield High School) hit .636 with seven errorless kills and four block assists, while Klunder and Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) each added seven kills. Sara Warren (Long Beach, CA/Sato) hit .455 with five errorless kills and four block assists. Feuer added five kills and a match-high five block assists, finishing the day with 17 kills and a .556 hitting percentage. Higashihara totaled 16 assists, and Nola Gannon (Dallas, Texas/Townview TAG) chipped in four kills and three block assists.
Lasell pushed the Bears in the third set, which featured nine ties and six lead changes. With the score tied at 10, Klunder served five straight points, a run that included back-to-back blocks from Feuer, and Smith led 15-10. After Lasell pulled within 19-18, the Bears scored six of the final eight points, and Warren's kill sealed the sweep. Shantte Siliezar led Lasell with 11 kills.
Smith returns to NEWMAC play Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., with first serve set for 7 p.m.
About Smith Athletics
Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information, log on to GoSmithBears.com and follow the Bears on Facebook and Instagram.
