(Box Score
vs. WNEC) (Box Score vs.
Springfield)
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Plymouth State University
women's volleyball team kept its terrific season going Friday
night, winning two matches in five sets apiece at the annual Tom
Hay Invitational, hosted by Springfield College.
Facing some of their stiffest competition of the season, the
Panthers defeated Western New England College in the first match
(20-15, 25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11) and followed with a thrilling
victory over host Springfield (16-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-15,
16-14). PSU, which is ranked 11th in New England,
improved to 20-1 on the season, while Springfield, which is ranked
fourth in New England, had its 10-match winning streak broken and
is now 19-3. WNEC, which came back to defeat Westfield State,
3-2, is now 16-7.
In PSU's dramatic win over Springfield, senior Eliza
Badeau (Foster, R.I.) was unstoppable as she pounded out
22 kills, hitting an even .500 for the match. Sophomore
Meghan Sullivan (Marlton, N.J.) added 15 kills as
the only other member of the squad to record double-digit kills.
Both Sullivan and classmate Alex Avery (Milton,
N.H./Nute) finished with 21 digs. Senior Brianna
Kleckner (Terryville, Conn.) directed PSU's offense with
47 assists to go along with 18 digs and three blocks.
Junior Sarah Lang-Rodean (Mansfield Center, Conn.) paced the Pride
attack with 22 kills, hitting .383, to go along with five blocks
and four aces. Junior Heather Lively (Royalston, Mass.) added 16
kills and 13 digs and Lauren Torvi (North Smithfield, R.I.) chipped
in with 14 kills. Meaghan Hart (Stony Brook, N.Y.) was tremendous
on defense as she registered 34 digs, and junior Kelsey Hellyar
(Fairhaven, Mass.) handed out 53 assists and recorded six aces in
the loss.
After dropping the first set, PSU led 18-11 in the second before
Springfield staged a tremendous comeback to win 25-20 to go up two
sets. The tables were turned on the hosts in the third game as
Plymouth State answered with an incredible comeback of its own.
Trailing 19-11, the Panthers took advantage of Springfield errors
and an offense that had found its rhythm to take the third set.
Hitting .303 as a team in the frame, Badeau led the way with five
kills.
The Panthers carried over the momentum into the fourth set as it
won 25-15. PSU hit .355 in the frame and limited Springfield to a
.119 attack percentage as it evened the match at two sets apiece.
Senior Carly Newton (Centerville, Mass.) notched a
pair of blocks in the set to pace the defensive effort for the
visitors.
Springfield came out into the fifth set poised as it raced out to a
5-1 lead as Lang-Rodean tallied three quick kills. A big kill from
Lively gave Springfield an 8-4 lead at the switch and Hellyar
tacked on another ace to give SC a 9-4 lead. However, Plymouth
State mounted a furious comeback, tying the game at 11-all after a
Newton kill. SC used a pair of Lang-Rodean kills to own a two-point
advantage at 13-11. The Panthers chipped away as a Sullivan kill
and an ace by senior Kathy Frankowski (Farmington,
Conn.) tied the set up. Lang-Rodean once again came up huge for the
Pride as her 22nd kill of the night gave Springfield match point,
but it was unable to convert. An unlikely point gave PSU match
point as Avery made a terrific dig on Lively that sailed over the
net and found the court. Kleckner and Newton then closed the door
on the match as they combined for a double block to give PSU the
five-game win.
The Panthers had three players reach double figures in kills in the
win over WNEC. Badeau topped the team with 13, while senior
Megan Elliott (West Haven, Conn.) added 11 and
Sullivan had 10. Three Panthers also reached double digits in
digs, as Frankowski and Alex Avery recorded 18 and 17,
respectively, and junior Kelsey Petty (Salem,
N.H.) chipped in with 10.
Kleckner, who ranks among the NCAA leaders in assists, finished
with 47 assists and nine digs for PSU in the win.
Plymouth State will play two more matches in the tournament
Saturday, facing Westfield State at 12 noon and Colby-Sawyer
College at 3:00 p.m.
(Courtesy of Springfield Sports Information)
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