HENNIKER, N.H.-The New England College volleyball team suffered a pair of setbacks on Saturday, falling 3-0 to Framingham State University and 3-2 to Curry College in a non-conference tri-match. Framingham downed Curry, 3-1, in the middle match.
With today's results, NEC falls to 5-14 on the season.
FRAMINGHAM ST. 3, NEC 0
The Pilgrims played some of their best volleyball of the season against a strong Framingham team but ultimately fell by scores of 25-22, 25-20, and 26-24. The Pilgrims led for almost all of the third set until Framingham's Brandey Rodriguez and Brenna Marquis served back-to-back streaks that helped the Rams overcome a 20-15 deficit.
Grace Caughey was the game-changer for the Rams in the final set, recording her only to kills of the set on the game-tying and lead-taking kills at 24-24 and 25-24. Framingham won the next point and the match on an NEC attack error.
Rodriguez and Caughey were dominant for the Rams, tallying 12 and 11 kills, respectively, as part of Framingham's 42-kill performance.
The Pilgrims were led by
Tihani Ehia (Kaneohe, Hawaii) with 11 kills and 10 digs. Emma Kowalka (Kalispell, Mont.) had a match-high 14 digs.
CURRY 3, NEC 2
The Pilgrims struggled against the Colonels, despite taking an early lead in set one. NEC would give away the first game in extra points, 26-24, before winning set two handly, 25-18. Curry again legged out an extra-points win in set three with a 28-26 score, and NEC took set four 25-18 to force a decisive fifth set.
NEC came within one point at 12-11 following an exciting rally, but Curry won the race to the finish line with a 15-12 score on the strength of nine fifth-set kills.
Ehia tallied career-highs in kills (19) and digs (26) over the five-set contest to lead the Pilgrims. Dreka Griffin (Calera, Ala.) added 12 kills.
Defensively, Meaghan Six (Manchester, N.H.) and Kowalka added 20 and 18 digs, respectively. Griffin added six blocks.
Curry was led by Lexi Pereira with 22 kill and 11 digs. Amanda Wood added 10 kills.
Five different players recorded double-digit digs for Curry, led by Shea Mathews with 20 kills.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Pilgrims are back in action on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) contest at Dean College.
