PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The New England College women's volleyball team lost in straight sets at Johnson & Wales in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Tuesday night at the Wildcat Center in Providence, Rhode Island. 

THE BASICS 
    Score: New England College: 0, Johnson & Wales: 3 (Set scores 13-25, 14-25, 25-27) 
    Records: Pilgrims 7-10, 3-5 GNAC | Wildcats: 10-9, 4-1 GNAC 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Wildcats got off to a hot start, getting ahead of the Pilgrims 6-1 in a run headlined by two kills from both Skylar Winchester (Winsted, Conn.) and Nevaeh Arnold (Alpharetta, Ga.). JWU would keep their foot on the gas pedal throughout the set and kept any Pilgrims rally from lasting over four points. Winchester finished the set with three kills and three service aces. 
• Not much changed in the second set as the Wildcats capitalized off NEC errors to take a commanding two-set lead despite multiple kills from junior outside hitter Lily-Anne Heywood (Derry, N.H.) 
• The Pilgrims showed life in the third set as they kept it close throughout. New England College had up to a five-point lead, led by junior middle-blocker Kaylee Montgomery (Weare, N.H.), as they went up 23-18. Five of the next nine Wildcat points were from kills from Peyton Oliver to close things out as they came back to win a lengthened third set, 27-25.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• The Wildcats jumped on the Pilgrims early with 15 kills in the first set, nearly tripling the Pilgrims throughout the night with 45 total to NEC's 16. 
• The Pilgrims finished with 32 digs on the night, led by Heywood's 11. 
• Heywood and sophomore outside hitter Samantha Winters (Dover, N.H.) finished with four kills apiece in the loss. 
• Junior setter Aurora Gutierrez-Macias (El Paso, Tex.) led the Pilgrims with three aces. 

UP NEXT 

• NEC is back on the court on Saturday when they make a trip to New London, Connecticut to take on the Falcons of Albertus Magnus College in GNAC action. 
• Johnson & Wales plays their next game at the Wildcat Center as they host the Regis College Pride on Thursday night. 

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.