STANDISH, Maine - The New England College women's volleyball team split their Saturday Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match at the Harold Afford Center at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, falling in four sets to the host Monks before eking out a four-set win over the Falcons of Albertus Magnus College. The Pilgrims run their record to 10-13 on the season with a 5-7 record in conference action.
MATCH 1 – SJC 3, NEC 1 (25-19, 25-15, 19-25, 25-19)
- The Pilgrims were led in the opener by junior outside hitter Torrance Robertson (Bakersfield, Calif.) with eight kills and a .207 kill percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Lily-Anne Heywood (Derry, N.H.) posted a team-high 11 digs with six kills. Freshman right-side hitter Maeve Amarosa (Madbury, N.H.) step up in the opener with a team-high six kills in the match, matching a career-high. Senior middle-blocker Tatiana Sampson (Kailua, Hawaii) continued to be a force at the net, totaling three blocks with six digs and one service ace. Freshman setter Alexandra Seijas (Fort Myers, Fla.), the 'Grims best server this season, tallied three service aces with 11 set assists and seven digs.
- The Monks were led by sophomore outside hitter Victoria Briones (El Paso, Texas) with 12 kills while junior outside hitter Maggie Sylvester (Barrington, N.H.) had 11.
MATCH 2 – NEC 3, Albertus Magnus 1 (25-21, 19-25, 25-15, 25-23)
- After splitting the first two sets with Albertus Magnus, the Pilgrims found themselves clinging to a 13-12 lead in the third. That's when NEC went on their best tear of the day, winning 12 of the next 15 points including the final five of the set, with Heywood holding serve. The 'Grims held off the Falcons in the fourth to take the match. Heywood led the way with 17 kills and 15 digs while Sampson hit .348 with ten kills. Junior outside hitter Savannah Pilialoha (Waipahu, Hawaii) added eight kills while sophomore setter Aurora Gutierrez-Macias (El Paso, Tex.) posted 19 set assists.
UP NEXT
- NEC, still fighting for a playoff spot, is back on the court on Wednesday when they travel to Norwich University for a critical match in the GNAC standings against the host Cadets that starting at 6:00 p.m.
