MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Sophomore
Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) posted 13 digs and added a pair of assists, but Middlebury College topped Plymouth State University, 3-0 (9-25, 16-25, 20-25), in a non-conference women's volleyball match at Pepin Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
Middlebury coasted through the opening set, but PSU fought back to keep set two close until the late stages. Despite the 0-2 deficit, Plymouth State continued to battle in the third set. The Panthers held a 16-12 lead, but the hosts rallied to tie things at 17 before using a late spurt to close out the match.
Plymouth State slips to 16-5, while Middlebury goes to 11-7.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 0, Middlebury 3
- Plymouth State (16-5)
- Middlebury (11-7)
How it Happened:
- Sophomores Lindsey Sanderson (Gilford, N.H.) and Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) notched early kills as the visitors trailed just 8-6 in the opening moments. Middlebury followed with a 6-1 spurt to force a Panthers' timeout, but the hosts continued the momentum out of the break. Junior Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) ended the run with a kill, but Middlebury came right back with an 8-1 surge to take the opening set, 25-9.
- Set two stayed close through the early stages as PSU trailed just 10-7. Middlebury extended the margin to 19-8, but the Panthers clawed back. Seniors Emilee Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) and Natalie Gravelle (Portsmouth, N.H.) tallied kills to cut the lead to 21-14, but the hosts slammed the door from there to take the 25-16 win.
- PSU put together its best effort in the third set, with Sanderson and sophomore Morgan Drinkwater (Steep Falls, Maine) pounding early kills ahead of a Stogner winner and Ryan ace for a 5-1 lead. Flanagan added back-to-back kills to extend the margin to 7-2, Plymouth State maintained a narrow lead into the late stages, but Middlebury pulled even at 17-17. The teams traded points from there, with Middlebury using a block to retie things at 20-20, as part of a match-ending 6-0 run.
By the Numbers:
- Stogner finished with a team-high six kills and added nine digs, while Flanagan posted five kills and hit .364.
- Freshmen Kalista Butler (Philipsburg, Pa.) and Riley McDonough (Gilford, N.H.) posted ten assists apiece. McDonough added two aces and six digs.
- Marucci's 13 digs were a team high.
- Plymouth State's last win against Middlebury came in the 2014 season.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State wraps up Little East Conference (LEC) regular season play on Saturday (Oct. 22). With a win, the Panthers would take home the regular season title and earn the top seed for the LEC Tournament. Senior Day ceremonies will take place prior to first serve at noon. PSU will also face Regis College at 4:00 p.m. to complete the trimatch.
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