(Box vs.
WCSU) (Box
vs. Suffolk)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - After 16 consecutive victories
to open the season, the Plymouth State University women's
volleyball team suffered its first loss Saturday morning with a 3-1
setback to Western Connecticut State University in the Johnson
& Wales University Fall Classic.
The Panthers rebounded to sweep Suffolk University (25-15, 25-8,
25-9) in the second match of the day, completing the tournament as
the runner-up with a 3-1 record. WestConn went on to defeat
host Johnson & Wales to capture the tournament title with a 4-0
record. JWU finished third with a 2-2 mark on the weekend,
while UMass Dartmouth went 1-3 and Suffolk 0-4.
PSU took the first set against WestConn, but the Colonials came
back to take the next three, 25-14, 25-23, and 25-21. The
Panthers had defeated WestConn 3-0 last weekend in an LEC match in
Plymouth, but Colonials got revenge on Saturday in a match that
does not count in the conference standings.
Senior Carly Newton (Centerville, Mass.) was
Plymouth State's representative on the All-Tournament team.
She had seven kills and a .333 attack percentage in the loss to
WestConn and she finished with 11 kills and a .625 attack
percentage against Suffolk. Newton also had eight blocks in
the tournament.
PSU, now 17-1 overall, also got a strong performance from senior
Eliza Badeau (Foster, R.I.). She recorded 13 kills
and one block in the match against WestConn and 12 kills and three
blocks in the win over Suffolk. Sophomore Alex
Avery (Milton, N.H./Nute) led the Panther defense with 12
digs against WestConn and 14 vs. Suffolk, and senior Kathy
Frankowski (Farmington, Conn.) registered a season-high 10
service aces against Suffolk.
The Panthers, ranked ninth in this week's New England Division III
poll, returns to Little East Conference play on Tuesday with a key
match at rival Keene State (6:00 p.m.)
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