NEW LONDON, Conn. – The New England College women's volleyball team split their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matches on Saturday at Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut, falling short to the Chargers of Colby-Sawyer College in straight sets before rallying to beat the host Mariners in four sets in the afternoon bout.
THE BASICS
Score – Match 1: Colby Sawyer 3, New England College 0 (25-13, 25-18, 26-24)
Score – Match 2: New England College 3, Mitchell 1 (25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 25-21)
Records: Pilgrims 7-9, 3-4 GNAC
COLBY SAWYER 3, NEC 0 (25-13, 25-18, 26-24)
- Down two sets to none, the 'Grims fought back in the third, taking five of the first six rallies and going up 24-23 for set point behind a clutch kill from NEC sophomore middle-blocker Jamie Hansen (New Underwood, S.D.). But the Chargers battled back with three straight kills to take the set and the match.
- Colby Sawyer held a .140 to .057 edge in kill percentage, that proving decisive.
- NEC junior outside hitter Lily-Anne Heywood (Derry, N.H.) led the Pilgrims with eight kills and eight digs while junior middle-blocker Kaylee Montgomery (Weare, N.H.) filled the stat line with three kills, two aces and two total blocks.
- NEC junior defensive specialist Kristina Cardello (Peabody, Mass.) led the defense with 12 digs.
NEC 3, MITCHELL 1 (25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 25-21)
- The 'Grims prevailed in four hard fought sets over the Mariners in the second match. The toughest set came in the second when Mitchell tied it up at 22-22 while holding serve. Back-to-back kills by sophomore right-side hitter Maeve Amarosa (Madbury, N.H.) and senior outside hitter Savannah Pilialoha (Waipahu, Hawaii) gave the advantage back to NEC, and Pilialoha later put the set away with a kill.
- Heywood was dominant against the Mariners with 13 kills, a .400 hitting percentage and 18 digs.
- NEC sophomore outside hitter Samantha Winters (Dover, N.H.) contributed 11 kills while sophomore setter Alexandra Seijas (Fort Myers, Fla.) set the table with 21 set assists to go along with two aces and nine digs.
- Cardello tallied 14 digs, giving her 36 across seven sets for the day.
UP NEXT
- NEC is back on the court on Tuesday when they travel to Johnson & Wales to face the Wildcats in a 7:00 p.m. match.
