PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Freshman Imalay Rodriguez Martinez (Juncos, Puerto Rico) ripped off an ace on match point as Plymouth State University rallied from an 0-2 deficit to stun Rivier University, 3-2 (17-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19, 16-14) in a non-conference women's volleyball match at Muldoon Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
 
Plymouth State wins its 15th-straight game by erasing an 0-2 margin for the second time this season. Sophomore Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) and freshman Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) combined for 30 kills, while sophomore Ryley McNeeley (South Easton, Mass.) came up big in the pivotal third set to help ignite the comeback.
 
PSU goes to 15-0 while snapping Rivier's five-match win streak to fall to 7-5.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 3, Rivier 2
  • Plymouth State (15-0)
  • Rivier (7-5)

How it Happened:

• Rivier used a run of six straight points to take a 10-5 lead in the opening set. A kill from sophomore Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) trimmed the deficit to 14-11, but the Raiders answered with an 8-1 spurt. PSU tried to rally late, but the hosts held on for a 25-17 win.
• The Raiders burst out of the gate in set two, taking a 14-4 lead. The Panthers chipped away and back-to-back aces from junior Marissa Plaza (Folsom, Calif.) followed by an Elsa MacNeill (Acton, Mass.) cut the margin to 19-16 and forced a Rivier timeout. The hosts recovered, using a 5-2 run to earn set point. PSU battled, but Rivier hung on for a 25-21 victory.
• McNeeley provided a key spark in the third set. The 5-11 opposite hitter banged home three kills and helped on three blocks as PSU broke a 10-10 tie to pull ahead, 15-11. The Panthers pulled away late, scoring the final five points, as McNeeley and junior Emilee Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) combined for a huge block to take the set, 25-17.
• The Panthers took control of set four early, running out to an 8-1 lead behind five kills from Stogner and Flanagan. Rivier closed the gap to 10-8, but that was as close as the Raiders would get. Stogner pounded home back-to-back kills and an ace from senior Alexa Price (Moultonborough, N.H.) sent the match to a decisive fifth set.
• Plaza made a remarkable dig during a lengthy rally that ended with a PSU block as the Panthers took a 6-3 lead. With the game tied at 10-10, Flanagan and Ryan smashed huge kills and senior Maria Wimpey (Concord, N.H.) followed by putting away an overpass, but Rivier fought back to square the set at 14-14. Ryan unloaded on a slide down the line to set up Rodriguez Martinez for the match-clinching ace.

By the Numbers:

• Ryan finished with 16 kills and hit .306 for the match, with Stogner added 14 kills. Wimpey chipped in with seven, while McNeeley had four in just six attempts.
• Plaza led all players with a match-best 26 digs and added three aces, while Price finished with 44 assists, nine digs and three aces.
• Rodriguez Martinez led the team with four aces and chipped in seven digs.
• PSU hit just .029 through the first two sets, while the Raiders hit .297. The Panthers offense turned it around during the rally to hit .252 over the final three, while limiting Rivier to .097 at the same time.
• The Panthers are one win shy of matching the second-longest season-opening win streak in school history

Up Next:

• Plymouth State heads south for a Saturday (Oct. 9) tri-match at Western Connecticut State University. The Panthers square off against WestConn in an LEC tilt at noon, followed by a non-conference showdown with Mount Saint Vincent at 2:00 p.m.