MALBOEUF NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER AS RIC WINS WILDCAT CLASSIC

Providence, R.I.--Senior outside hitter Michelle Malboeuf (Cumberland, RI) was named the Most Outstanding Player and senior outside hitter Kelsey Lace (Glendale, RI) earned All-Tournament Team honors as the Rhode Island College women’s volleyball team finished in first place at the Johnson & Wales Wildcat Classic on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-3.

The Anchorwomen (11-5) pushed their winning streak to seven contests with victories over the hosts, Johnson & Wales (11-5), 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-23), and the University of New England (3-9), 3-2 (25-18, 24-26, 25-18, 23-25, 18-16) on day one, while besting Rutgers-Newark (9-6), 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-21) and Bridgewater State (9-11), 3-2 (25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-12) on day two to capture the championship.

The Anchorwomen cruised past the host Wildcats on the first day of the tournament, with Lace leading the way with 12 kills, three aces and four digs. Sophomore Abigayl White (Coventry, RI) paced the Anchorwomen with 30 assists in the match, while Malboeuf posted nine kills and 11 digs in the victory.   In the second match of day one, RIC was able to topple the Nor’easters of UNE by a score of 3-2. Lace once again led the way in kills with 22 to go along with 12 digs. Malboeuf also registered a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs with junior libero Megan Armburg (Swansea, MA) notched a team-best 15 digs in the victory.   Day two saw the Anchorwomen best Rutgers-Newark, 3-0, to open the play. Lace (12 kills, 10 digs) and Malboeuf (10 kills, 13 digs) notched double-doubles with Armburg posting an impressive 20 digs. White paced RIC with 27 assists in the match. In the championship-clinching match, RIC topped Bridgewater State in an exhilarating 3-2 match. Lace registered a match best 22 kills and .378 hitting percentage with White notching 43 helpers. Malboeuf recorded 17 kills and 16 digs, while freshman outside hitter Jillian Ward (Coventry, RI) and junior defensive specialist Nicole Thibodeau (Loxahatchee, FL) each recorded three service aces in the victory.   Lace finished the two-day tournament with 68 kills (4.25/set) with White finishing with an astounding two-day total of 141 assists. Tournament MOP Malboeuf finished with 50 kills (3.12/set), 10 services aces, 51 digs and eight blocks over the two days. Armburg led the team with 59 digs, while ranking second on the squad with seven aces over the two days.   In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will resume Little East Conference action at home against Western Connecticut on Tuesday, Oct. 6 (7 p.m.).