BANGOR, Maine – The New England College women's volleyball team improved to 8-5 on the season with a four-set victory over Husson University on Tuesday night, extending their winning streak to four in a row.
NEC took down the Eagles (25-14, 26-24, 23-25, 25-15) and are now winners of seven of their last eight matches. At the midway point of the season, the 'Grims sit just one win below last season's mark.
It was a complete team win for the Pilgrims, with 16 different players recording points. NEC senior Tyra Kelly (Fresno, Calif.) led the team with nine kills, while senior Maeve Amarosa (Madbury, N.H.) followed right behind with eight. Freshman Camryn James (Stratford, Conn.) had a team-high 17 digs and fellow freshman Alexis James (Fairburn, Ga.) added 13 assists.
The Pilgrims won the first set behind a huge 17-4 run to close out the set. Amarosa had four kills to fuel the run; sophomore Victoria Barragan (El Paso, Tex.) added two. The Eagles jumped out to a lead in the second set, but the 'Grims once again clawed back with a dominant 12-3 run to take the 2-0 set lead. In the set-deciding run, Kelly tallied three kills and senior Samantha Winters (Dover, N.H.) tacked on two.
Husson, with their backs against the wall, took the third set, fending off a late Pilgrim comeback to extend the match to a fourth set.
The 'Grims did not let the match get to a fifth set, closing out the fourth on another dominant run. The team got three kills a-piece from sophomore Teagan Saner (Plains, Mont.) and junior Emma Bernard (Chester, N.H.) in the set.
NEC found their biggest advantages at the net, nearly doubling up the Eagles in hitting percentage - .246 to .132, and posting five total blocks to Husson's zero. The team also outdid their opponent in service aces, 12 to four, led by sophomore Jennifer Orisma (Miami, Fla.) who had four, herself.
The Pilgrims return home on Saturday, October 3rd, for a key conference matchup against Simmons University at 1:00 PM.
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