Panthers fall to Gulls in championship match 

            BEVERLY, Mass. – After winning two matches Friday night at the Endicott College Invitational, the tables were turned on the Plymouth State University women's volleyball team Saturday afternoon as the Panthers dropped a pair of matches to MIT and Endicott, both by 3-1 scores.

            The Panthers dropped the first two sets to MIT (25-22, 25-17) before rallying to take set three, 25-23.  MIT closed out the match with a 25-23 verdict in the fourth set.  PSU finished with a 2-1 record in pool play to advance to the tournament championship match, and came out strong by taking the opening set against Endicott, 25-17.  But the host Gulls came back to sweep the next three sets (25-14, 25-22, 27-25) and win the match and the tourney title.

             Two Panthers were selected to the All-Tournament Team -- sophomore Casey Stoodley (Salem, N.H.) and junior libero Alex Avery (Milton, N.H.). Stoodley (near right) recorded a pair of double-doubles, smashing 13 kills and making 10 digs against MIT and adding 14 kills and 11 digs in the loss to Endicott. She reached double figures in kills in all four PSU matches on the weekend.  Avery (far right) contributed 53 digs in PSU's four matches in the tourney, including 18 in the loss to MIT.

             Freshman Allie Jones (Canton, Mass.) also had a strong day for PSU with 10 kills against MIT and 15 vs. Endicott.

            PSU, 5-3 overall, plays its home opener this Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 6:00 p.m. at Foley Gymnasium against Saint Michael's College. 

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