Ruggeri Hit Career Milestone in Buccaneer Loss to Owls

WESTFIELD, Mass – Junior libero Christina Ruggeri (Bourne, Mass) reached 1,000 career digs as the Buccaneers lost in straight sets (25-15, 25-15, 25-11) at the hand of MASCAC foe Westfield State on Saturday afternoon inside the Woodward Center.

Junior Marie Harrison (Weymouth, Mass) led the offensive attack for Maritime in the match with nine kills. Sophomore, Madison Coughlin (Monroe, Conn) finished second on the team with six kills. Michelle Sheehan (Attleboro, Mass) totaled 10 assists for the Buccaneers on the day with freshman Bianca Andronic (Somerset, Mass) tallying nine. Leading the Bucs defensively was Ruggeri with her match-high 17 digs. Those 17 assists put Ruggeri at 1,001 career digs in a Buccaneer uniform and she still has the remainder of her junior and all of her senior year to play.

Brianna Starkey led the Owls with 15 kills and a very efficient .560 hitting percentage. Starkey also picked up five of the nine Owl service aces on the afternoon, including the game winner in the third set. Westfield setter, Ally Rega handed out 28 assists and picked up eight digs in the win. Ainsley MacLeod added nine kills off the bench.

With the loss, the Bucs fall to 1-16 overall, 1-4 in the MASCAC. The Owls improve to 5-17 overall, 4-1 in conference play.

Next up for the Buccaneers is a trip to Framingham State on Wednesday, October 17^th with the conference match set to begin at 7:15pm.