Panthers finish third in Little East, host playoff game Tuesday

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University women's volleyball team won its final two matches of the regular season Saturday at Foley Gym, defeating Western Connecticut State University in a Little East Conference match, 3-1, and blanking the University of Maine-Presque Isle in a non-conference match, 3-0.

            The PSU-WCSU match was a battle for third place in the LEC, and the Panthers took the decision in four sets.  PSU won the first two sets by identical scores of 25-17, and was looking to close out the match with a 23-17 lead in the third set.  But Western Connecticut rallied, coming all the way back to pull out a 26-24 victory to cut the margin to 2-1.  Plymouth State bounced back in the fourth set and put away the match with a decisive 25-11 victory.

            Western Conn swept UMPI in the middle match of the day, 3-0, and PSU took three straight from the Owls in the final match of the day. PSU winds up the regular season at 16-15 overall and 5-2 in the Little East, while Western Connecticut finishes 24-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play.  UMPI remains winless at 0-17.

            Seniors Kaitlyn Tedeschi (Pascoag, R.I.) and Cassie Pelton (Brookline, N.H.), who were honored in a Senior Day pre-game ceremony, both had big matches in the win over Western. Tedeschi smashed 19 kills with no errors in 38 attacks for a marvelous .500 hitting percentage, while Pelton collected a match-high 16 digs to lead the Panther defense.

            Freshmen Katie Sylvia (Lee, N.H.) and Kayla Wyland (Melrose, Mass.) also had strong performances in the win over Western Conn.  Sylvia posted a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs, while Wyland recorded 10 kills with a .364 attack percentage. Sophomore Kirsten Perrotta (Hudson, N.H.) contributed 42 digs, nine digs and a team-high three service aces.

            The Panthers were able to get additional playing time for the freshmen in the victory over winless UMaine-Presque Isle. Mikki Taffe (Sandown, N.H.) and Gretta Buckley (Stamford, Conn.) led the team with seven kills each and Wyland contributed five kills. Freshman Reegan McKenney (Dover, N.H.) posted a team-high five digs.

            PSU will be the No. 3 seed in next week's LEC Tournament, and will host sixth-seeded University of Southern Maine Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at Foley Gym.  The Panthers defeated the Huskies in their regular season match last month, 3-1. 

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