PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) notched a team-high 12 kills and Plymouth State University battled a powerful Smith College team through three tight sets, ultimately falling 3-1 (25-20, 20-25, 18-25, 12-25) in non-conference women's volleyball action at Foley Gymnasium on Friday night.
Both teams' offenses were shaky in the opening set, but the Panthers pulled away late after a key ace from freshman
Kalista Butler (Philipsburg, Pa.) and strong net play from senior
Emilee Flanagan (Milton, N.H.). Smith used back-to-back aces to build a five-point advantage midway through set two, but PSU battled back with consecutive kills by Stogner to trim the deficit to one. The Pioneers recovered, though, using a late block and kill to even the match.
Smith used a late 4-0 spurt to take control of the pivotal third set, before cruising to a fourth set victory to secure the win.
The setback snapped Plymouth State's five match win streak. PSU goes to 14-4, while the Pioneers improve to 17-7.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Smith 3
- Plymouth State (14-4)
- Smith (17-7)
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State used a long service run from sophomore Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) to build a first set lead. Marucci had a pair of aces while junior Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) had two kills during an 8-0 run as the hosts went ahead 14-8. The Pioneers pulled to 18-17, but PSU responded with a 5-1 spurt and two Flanagan kills wrapped up the 25-20 win.
- Junior Ryley McNeeley (Easton, Mass.) notched a kill as Plymouth State trailed 9-8, but Smith followed with four straight points including back-to-back aces to extend the lead. Stogner heated up with back-to-back kills to pull within one, 16-15, but the visitors recovered. Plymouth State attempted to rally late, but the Pioneers held on for a 25-20 win.
- Stogner and Flanagan combined for a block, then each added kills as the Panthers trailed 15-11 in the pivotal third set. The teams traded points until a 4-0 surge from Smith made it 22-14. Plymouth State rallied, though, cutting the deficit to 23-18 after a kill from sophomore Lindsey Sanderson (Gilford, N.H.) and key block by Sanderson and Flanagan. The visitors answered with back-to-back kills from the outside, though, to secure the set, 25-18.
- Riding the momentum, Smith raced out to a 17-4 advantage in set four. Ryan and sophomore Morgan Drinkwater (Steep Falls, Maine) attempted to get the home squad back into the game and Stogner added a pair of late kills, but the Pioneers closed out the match with 25-12 victory.
By the Numbers:
- Stogner has recorded 12 kills in back-to-back matches. She added nine digs and a pair of blocks to her stat line.
- Ryan pounded nine kills and added two blocks, while Flanagan chipped in six kills and three blocks.
- Marucci equaled a match-high with 14 digs, while freshman Riley McDonough (Gilford, N.H.) and Butler combined for 29 assists. McDonough added eight digs.
- PSU hit .169 for the match, while the Pioneers attacked at .298.
- The Panthers had won five-of-six meetings, including a three-set thriller last October (27-25, 25-23, 25-22).
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to Castleton for a pair of matches on Saturday (Oct. 15). PSU squares off against the Spartans in a Little East Conference (LEC) matchup at 1:00 p.m. before facing Fisher College at 3:00 p.m.
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