PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Plymouth State University claimed its third-straight Little East Conference (LEC) regular season title in with a 3-0 (25-16, 27-25, 25-15) sweep of Eastern Connecticut State University, then celebrated with a 3-1 (25-10, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19) win over Regis College in a women's volleyball trimatch at Foley Gymnasium on Saturday.
Sophomore
Lindsey Sanderson (Gilford, N.H.) smashed eight kills without an error and classmate
Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) sparked the defense with a match-high 17 digs as the Panthers rolled past Eastern Connecticut to earn the regular season crown and top seed for the upcoming LEC Tournament. PSU cruised in the first set, then fought off an ECSU set point to outlast the Warriors, 27-25, in set two. Staked to the 2-0 lead, PSU controlled the third set from start to finish to earn the sweep.
Junior
Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) smashed 14 kills and hit .579 while Sanderson added another seven kills without an error (7-0-19) in a four-set win over Regis in the final match of the day. After an easy, 25-10 win in the opener, Regis battled back to take set two, 25-22. The Panthers rallied from a one-point deficit late in the crucial third set to eke out a 25-23 win, then used a late 5-0 spurt to wrap up the match with a 25-19 victory.
Prior to the match, Plymouth State honored seniors
Emilee Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) and
Natalie Gravelle (Portsmouth, N.H.) for their contributions to the program in a brief
Senior Day ceremony.
Plymouth State claimed its second-straight outright title after earning a share of the regular season crown in 2019. There was no 2020 regular season champion due to the COVID-reduced season. The Panthers improve to 18-5 (7-1 LEC) on the year.
Regis, which topped Eastern Connecticut in the middle match of the afternoon, ends the day at 17-11, while the Warriors slip to 14-8 (5-2 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Eastern Connecticut 0
- Plymouth State 3, Regis 1
- Plymouth State (18-5, 7-1 LEC)
- Eastern Connecticut (14-8, 5-2 LEC)
- Regis (17-11)
How it Happened (Eastern Connecticut):
- Sophomore Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) had a pair of kills during an early 5-1 run as PSU claimed an early advantage. The Panthers extended the lead to 18-10 on Flanagan's kill and Eastern Connecticut never truly threatened. The Warriors scored three straight to pull to within 22-16 late, but an error and back-to-back aces from freshman Riley McDonough (Gilford, N.H.) closed out the 25-16 win.
- Eastern Connecticut came out determined in set two, but a pair of Sanderson kills gave the hosts a 13-9 edge. The Warriors rallied to pull in front, 20-18, but Marucci's ace and a pair of ECSU errors put the Panthers up, 21-20. Eastern Connecticut got a big block to knot the score at 23-23, and the visitors earned set-point leading 25-24, but a missed serve proved costly as Stogner's kill gave the hosts a 26-25 lead and a Warriors' miscue wrapped up the game, 27-25.
- PSU held a narrow, 10-7 lead in the early stages, but consecutive kills from Gravelle sparked the Panthers to a 6-0 surge. Moments later Gravelle's ace extended the margin to 20-9. The Warriors put together a short spurt, but a block from Ryan and Stogner ended the run and Stogner and Flanagan teamed up for the match-ended stuff block and the 25-15 win.
By the Numbers (Eastern Connecticut):
- Plymouth State hit .360 in set one and .355 in set three.
- Stogner had a team high nine kills to go with eight digs and three blocks.
- Sanderson finished with eight kills on 19 attempts (.421 attack pct.) without an error, while Marucci posted a match-best 17 digs to go with three aces.
- McDonough posted 18 assists, four aces and six digs, while freshman Kalista Butler (Philipsburg, Pa.) added 13 assists.
- The Panthers finished with 11 aces, while Eastern Connecticut had just four.
- The teams have evenly split the last ten meetings, though this was the first 3-0 decision for the Panthers.
How it Happened (Regis):
- PSU used an early 6-0 surge to jump out to an 11-4 lead. A kill from junior Ryley McNeeley (Easton, Mass.) helped extend the advantage to 19-7 and the Panthers rolled to a 25-10 win.
- Regis regrouped and built a 14-11 lead in the second set. The teams traded points until back-to-back Flanagan kills gave the hosts an 18-17 lead. Sanderson's winner knotted the score at 22-22, but the Pride got a kill and consecutive aces to steal set two, 25-22.
- Ryan pounded down a kill for a 17-14 lead in set three, but the Pride rallied with three straight points to tie the game. Junior Aynslee King (Anacortes, Wash.) had a pivotal kill as PSU took a 23-22 lead and McDonough's tip landed to give the hosts set point. Regis extended the set with a winner, but an attack error gifted the Panthers the 25-23 win.
- Plymouth State used a 7-1 surge to pull ahead, 15-10, but Regis rallied to square the set at 16-16. Stogner's kill ended the streak, though, and Butler ripped off a pair of aces as the Panthers went ahead, 21-16. PSU wasn't challenged the rest of the way and McNeeley and Ryan joined forces at the net for a match-ending block.
By the Numbers (Regis):
- Plymouth State hit a sparkling .526 in the opening set, posting ten kills on 19 swings without an error.
- Ryan led the way with 14 kills and added eight blocks.
- Sanderson had another error-free match, posting seven kills and adding four blocks, while McNeeley also chipped in seven kills and three blocks.
- Stogner paced the defense with 16 digs, as Marucci contributed 13.
- Butler had five of the Panthers' 12 aces and added 18 assists, while McDonough posted 24 assists and a pair of aces.
- The Panthers have never lost to Regis, moving to a perfect 10-0 all time.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to Colby-Sawyer on Thursday (Oct. 27) for a 7:00 p.m. tilt with the Chargers.
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