NEW LONDON, Conn. – The New England College women's volleyball team split their Great Northeast Athletic Conference tri-match on Saturday.  

Match 1 – NEC 1, CSC 3 (17-25, 23-25, 28-26, 14-25)  

The first set was a back-and-forth match between the two teams. The Chargers gained a 9-4 lead on the 'Grims, which ended with an attack error by Claire Rocky. To gain their seventh point of the match, senior Lily-Anne Heywood (Derry, N.H.) got her first kill of the match making the match 13-8. With the score being 16-9 senior Kristina Cardello (Peabody, Mass.) was able to get scoring going with a service ace led by a kill from sophomore LisaRaye Placencio (Maricopa, Ariz.). The final score was 25-17.  

NEC got on board with a service error by the Chargers. They took their first lead with a kill by Heywood making the lead 5-4, then a block by senior Kaylee Montgomery (Weare, N.H.) and junior Samantha Winters (Dover, N.H.). They then went on a 4-0 run with a kill by senior Jamie Hansen (New Underwood, S.D.). The Chargers would end up tying the match at 21, after being down by six. With a kill and a service ace from CSC leading 23-21 the team tied the match again at 23 but could not finalize on the momentum.  

The third set started down two, until a kill by freshman Teagan Saner (Plains, Mont.) got the team on the board. Then they took the lead for the first time in the set: 4-3. For the entire set, no team could gain a longer lead than two. Tied at 13, the Chargers went on a 3-0 run which led to an NEC timeout then scored twice with a kill from Heywood. The match was at 16-15, the Chargers went on an 8-0 run stopped by a kill from Heywood making the lead 23-16. Which lit a fire for the 'Grims to go on a 7-0 run and tie the match at 23. Then went back and forth until a kill Hansen to make it 27-26 and then to seal it from freshman Maddy Rollinson (Hamden, Conn.) to win 28-26.  

Colby-Sawyer jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead on the 'Grims. An attack error by Leah Barlow led the team to score. The Chargers extended their lead 6-2 until Heywood added another kill to her stats for the game. However, it would not be enough this time. Colby-Sawyer extended their lead to 21-7 until Hansen and Montgomery both recorded kills making the match 21-9. The Chargers kept their foot on the gas and won 25-14.  

Match 2 – NEC 3 , MC 2 (25-18, 19-25, 18-25, 20-25, 15-11 )  

The 'Grims jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead with a kill by Montgomery. The team continued their lead with a kill from junior Maeve Amarosa (Madbury, N.H.) and Placenio. The Mariners did go on a 4-0 run to take the lead 10-8, but with back-to-back kills by Montgomery the 'Grims earned back the ball. After an attack error by Molly Wordell, the team went on a 5-0 run in part to Placencio, who added two more kills in the first set. The team sealed the first with an ace from Cardello.  

The second set was close to the 'Grims tying the match 3-3. The team could not seem to catch the Mariners with them going on multiple 4-0 runs, bringing their lead to 12-6. junior Tyra Kelly (Fresno, Calif.) and an attack error by the Mariners got the 'Grims within four with a score 14-10, then with a bounce back of a 6-0 run that Montgomery had a service ace in making the game 21-18, but it would not be enough with the score being 25-19.  

The Pilgrims jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead started by a kill from Montgomery. However, the Mariners came back to tie up the match at seven, and the match went back and forth after. The Mariners went on three 4-0 runs and sealed the third match 25-18.  

Another quick 4-0 lead for the 'Grims to start the fourth set. Then it led 8-5 until the Mariners tied it up at eight. A kill by Saner gave the team the lead at ten. After, NEC went on a 5-0 run with two service aces by senior Naydeen Martinez-Moreno (Henderson, Nev.) and a kill by Winters. After a timeout by Mitchell, they gained a 19-18 lead. Another kill by Saner made the 20-18. Leading 23-20, Amarosa was able to have a kill to make the lead by four and the final point from an attack error by Genna Hyde.  

Heading into the fifth and final set, Winters helped the team gain a 5-0 lead. Another kill by Heywood and a service ace by Cardello led the score to 7-1. The Mariners attacked after a timeout and climbed back to 7-5 and then 10-9. However, the 'Grims were able to go 3-0 to seal the victory at 15-11.  

Volleyball is back at home in Bridges Gym on Tuesday, October 28th against Keene State College for a non-conference matchup. The team will be having their dedication game to dig pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness.  

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