PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior Natalie Gravelle (Portsmouth, N.H.) and sophomore Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) combined for 12 kills on just 14 attacks as Plymouth State University soared past Northern Vermont University-Lyndon, 3-0 (25-4, 25-6, 25-8) in a non-conference women's volleyball match at Foley Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
 
Gravelle posted a match-high seven kills on eight attacks, while Ryan added five kills on six swings as the Panthers hit .509 for the match.
 
Plymouth State improves to 6-0, while NVU-Lyndon drops to 0-7.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 3, NVU-Lyndon 0
  • Plymouth State (6-0)
  • NVU-Lyndon (0-7)

How it Happened:

• Freshman Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) ripped off a pair of aces as part of a nine-point run as the Panthers jumped out to an 11-2 lead. The Hornets got the ball back on a PSU error, but senior Maria Wimpey (Concord, N.H.) found the floor and junior Emilee Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) notched four aces during a seven-point run as the lead grew to 18-3. Moments later an NVU-Lyndon error gave the Panthers a 25-4 win.
• Sophomore Elsa MacNeill (Acton, Mass.) smashed a kill to spark a 13-point run to open set two. A Hornets' kill momentarily stopped the surge, but senior Alexa Price (Moultonborough, N.H.) got the ball right back with a solo block and Ryan pushed the margin to 19-2 with a five-point serving run. PSU closed out the set with five straight points, with MacNeill and Gravelle each recording a pair of kills, to take the set, 25-6.
• NVU-Lyndon stayed within striking distance early in the third set, but the Panthers scored 15 of the final 18 points to wrap up the sweep with a 25-8 victory.

By the Numbers:

• Ten different players recorded kills for the Panthers. Gravelle hit .875 (7-0-8), while Ryan hit .833 (5-0-6). Wimpey and freshman Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) each posted four kills without an error.
• PSU amassed 17 aces, led by four each from Ryan and Flanagan. Marucci and senior Katie Townsend (Layton, Utah) added three apiece.
• Price inched closer to her 2,000th career assist after posting 27 for the match. She needs just 116 more to become the seventh player to reach the benchmark in program history.
• Plymouth State hit .509 for the match, the seventh-highest percentage in a match in team history.
• This was just the second meeting between the two programs. The last, a 3-0 win for the Panthers, came during the 2006 season.

 
Up Next:

• It's a short turnaround for Plymouth State as the Panthers head to Norwich University tomorrow (Sept. 15) for a 6:00 p.m. clash with the Cadets.