Wojtas and Taffe power Panthers to non-conference win

            BOSTON, Mass. – Senior middle blocker Brianna Wojtas (Salem, N.H.) pounded a match-high 21 kills while registering a sparkling .514 attack percentage (21-3-35) and classmate Mikki Taffe (Sandown, N.H.) added 12 kills to power the Plymouth State University women's volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Emmanuel College in non-conference action Wednesday night.  After dropping the first set the Panthers rebounded to win three straight to improve to 4-5 on the season, while Emmanuel fell to 1-10.

THE BASICS

Jean Yawkey Center, Boston, Mass. – Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016

Plymouth State 3, Emmanuel 1                     20-25, 25-18, 25-20, 26-24

Records:

Plymouth State 4-5; Emmanuel 1-10

PSU LEADERS

* Wojtas … 21 kills, .514 attack percentage (21-3-35), four digs, three blocks

* Taffe … 12 kills, three blocks

* Junior setter Megan Bailey (Canterbury, N.N.) … 44 assists, seven digs

* Junior libero Brenna Peruch (Cave Creek, Ariz.) … team-high 16 digs

* Senior Kayla Wyland (Melrose, Mass.) … six kills, three blocks

* Junior Grace Sporer (Medford, Ore.) … 13 digs

GAME NOTES

PSU jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the early going before Emmanuel College used a 17-7 run to pull ahead 22-17 in the opening set.  A kill from Wojtas cut the lead to four (22-18), but that was as close as the Panthers would get as EC hung on for the 25-20 win.

With the score knotted at 3-3, PSU used a 5-0 spurt to pull ahead.  Wojtas had three kills in the run, while sophomore Alisha Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) added a pair of service aces.  The Saints responded with five straight points of their own, dead-locking the game at 9-9.  PSU went ahead for good on a kill by Taffe and an ace from Bailey, then extended the advantage to 20-15 on an EC attack error.  Plymouth State wrapped up the 25-18 win with a kill from junior Claire Sporer (Medford, Ore.).

The third set was close in the early going.  PSU turned a slight 14-13 lead into a 19-13 advantage after a service run from Peruch.  A Wojtas kill and consecutive kills from Taffe gave the Panthers a 24-16 lead, but the Saints responded with four straight points.  Following a Panther timeout, Taffe connected again to give PSU a 25-20 win.

PSU jumped ahead 8-4 in the fourth set after a kill from Grace Sporer, but the hosts took advantage of some Plymouth State miscues to pull ahead 9-8.  An Emmanuel service ace gave the Saints their largest lead of the set, 15-11, but the Panthers clawed back to knot the score at 17-17 after an ace from senior Rachel Morrissey (Salem, N.H.).  With the set tied 24-24, Wojtas connected on back-to-back kills to give the visitors the 26-24 win.

NEXT MATCH

Plymouth State @ Eastern Connecticut State, Willimantic, Conn. – Saturday, Sept. 17 (12:00 p.m.)

Emmanuel vs. Maine Maritime, Boston, Mass. – Friday, Sept. 16 (7:00 p.m.)

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