WELLESLEY, Mass. -- For the second time in eight days, Wellesley Volleyball has toppled a nationally-ranked opponent. Following up last week's 3-1 win over #18 Springfield, the Blue downed #17 UMass Boston, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-19), on Wednesday night at Keohane Sports Center. The win lifts Wellesley to 18-6 overall, while the Beacons drop to 22-3.

The opening set was a see-saw affair, as both squads battled for control. After Wellesley inched out to a 22-19 lead, the Beacons scored four straight for a one-point advantage. But the Blue answered with three consecutive points to grab a 25-23 win.

Wellesley carried the momentum into the second stanza and built a commanding 18-10 advantage. The Beacons charged back with a seven-point run from the service line, trimming the lead to 23-22, but the Blue again closed out the set with two straight for the 25-22 win.

The Blue built an early lead in set three as well, but UMass Boston clawed back for a 13-12 lead. After exchanging sideouts through the middle rallies, Wellesley used an 8-3 run to close out the game, 25-19, and seal the sweep.

Molly Rattigan led UMass Boston with 9 kills on 11 attempts, for an .818 hitting percentage. Corrine Porter added eight kills, while Shannon Thompson chipped in seven. Defensively, Kayla Wilson tallied 10 digs for the Beacons, while Kirsten Morrison racked up five blocks. Cassy Hanneman distributed 24 assists in the loss.

Sydney Carfagno led a balanced attack for Wellesley, pounding 14 kills. Megan Mills, Julia Adams, and Caitlin Laughlin added nine kills each. Traci Hamanaka anchored the Blue defense with 12 digs. Isabel Custodio recorded 37 assists in the win.

UMass Boston returns to action next Tuesday, October 25, at 6pm, when they host Little East rival Plymouth State. Wellesley travels to Smith this weekend for the Hall of Fame Tournament. The Blue will open against Middlebury on Friday at 7pm.