Norklun hits .455 as Panthers suffer LEC setback 

            BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Carabeth Norklun (Goffstown, N.H.) matched a team-high with six kills while hitting an impressive .455, but the University of Massachusetts Boston snapped Plymouth State University's 12-match win streak with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-15) win in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's volleyball match at Clark Athletic Center on Tuesday night.

            The hosts came out firing to cruise to a first set win, before Plymouth State fought back in set two. The Panthers trailed by just a point, 23-22, late in the second set but UMB picked up the final two points, then controlled the final set for the sweep.

            The loss was Plymouth State's first in nearly a full calendar month - a 3-2 decision at Eastern Nazarene on Sept. 11. The Panthers drop to 21-2 overall and 2-1 in the LEC, while UMass Boston improves to 5-14 and 2-2 in league play.

            The Basics:

            Plymouth State 0, UMass Boston 3

            Plymouth State (21-2, 2-1 LEC)

            UMass Boston (5-14, 2-2 LEC)

            How it Happened:

• UMass Boston got out to a fast start as freshman Aleks Qose (Athens, Greece) ripped off five aces to spark the hosts to a 10-0 advantage. UMB maintained a sizeable lead, but a kill from senior Allie Rogers (Sandown, N.H.) cut the deficit to 22-14. The Beacons' responded with three of the next four points, though, for a 25-15 win.
• The Panthers got off to a much better start in set two, taking an early 9-5 lead behind an ace from sophomore Alexa Price (Moultonborough, N.H.). UMass Boston rallied to tie things at 15-all, then pulled ahead, 23-20, to force a PSU timeout. Plymouth State pulled to within one out of the break, 23-22, but a block and hitting error gave the hosts the 25-22 win.
• UMass Boston used strong serving to build a quick 9-2 lead in the third set, before back-to-back kills from junior Carabeth Norklun (Goffstown, N.H.) cut the deficit to five. The Beacons responded, though, pushing the lead to 19-9 before closing the match with a 25-15 win.

            Inside the Numbers:

• PSU suffered its first loss since Sept. 11, breaking a streak of 12-straight wins.
• Norklun had a big game at the net, knocking down a team-high six kills while hitting an impressive .455.
• Senior Lex Bowers (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) and junior Francie Shaffer (Frederick, Colo.) added six kills apiece, with Bowers chipping in eight digs.
• Senior Alisha Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) notched 12 digs, equaling a match-high.
• UMB fired off 14 aces to the Panthers' three, and hit .229 while limiting PSU to .084, its lowest output of the season.
• All five of the Beacons' wins this season have been at home, while both of PSU's losses have come during midweek matches on the road.

            Up Next:

• PSU returns to Foley Gymnasium for a pair of matches on Saturday (Oct. 12). The Panthers will battle Rhode Island College in an LEC contest at noon, before hosting Bridgewater State at 4:00 p.m.

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