HENNIKER, N.H. - The New England College Women's Volleyball team suffered a conference loss to Emmanuel College on Friday in GNAC action. 

The Pilgrims jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set after senior Aurora Gutierrez-Macias (El Paso, Tex.) registered a service ace and a kill from junior Maeve Amarosa (Madbury, N.H.). A run from Emmanuel tied the set at four before kills from sophomore LisaRaye Placencio (Maricopa, Ariz.), senior Lily-Anne Heywood (Derry, N.H.), and junior Tyra Kelly (Fresno, Calif.) contributed to a run that gave the Pilgrims an 8-7 lead. Kelly and Amarosa, along with freshman Teagan Saner (Plains, Mont.) all picked up kills to secure the first set for the Pilgrims with a 25-17 score. 

The Saints answered back with three straight points to open the second set. Gutierrez-Macias, Placencio, and Heywood contributed three straight kills to tie the set. After falling behind 8-4, Emmanuel went on an 11-4 run to jump ahead 15-12. They then went on a 10-7 run to close out the set to tie the match at one set apiece. 

The Saints opened the third set up 6-2. The Pilgrims continued to fight until it was 13-10 with kills from Amarosa and Placencio. After some more fight from the Pilgrims to keep the set within five points, the Saints closed out the set 25-18. 

Like the first three sets, the Pilgrims kept it close to start before the Saints took a 9-3 lead. Multiple Pilgrims runs were stopped as Emmanuel came away with the 3-1 victory. 

Kelly and senior Kaylee Montgomery (Weare, N.H.) led the Pilgrims with nine kills apiece. Gutierrez-Macias (15) and graduate Alexandra Seijas-Quea (Fort Myers, Fla.) (13) combined for 28 assists. Montgomery finished with three aces on the night. Senior Kristina Cardello (Peabody, Mass.) recorded 20 digs in the loss. 

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