PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) pounded down a match best 16 kills and freshman
Riley McDonough (Gilford, N.H.) handed out 30 assists in her collegiate debut as Plymouth State University cruised past Colby-Sawyer College, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19) in the season opener for both teams at Foley Gymnasium on Thursday night.
PSU shook off some early rust and McDonough served seven straight points late in the first set to help turn a three-point lead into a 23-12 advantage, before a block closed out a 25-14 win in set one.
The Chargers built a 16-11 advantage in the middle stanza, but Plymouth State chipped away, and a late 7-1 surge gave the Panthers a 25-21 win. PSU took charge early in the third set to wrap up the sweep with a 25-19 victory.
Plymouth State opens the season with a win for the sixth straight season, while Colby-Sawyer starts the year 0-1.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Colby-Sawyer 0
- Plymouth State (1-0)
- Colby-Sawyer (0-1)
How it Happened:
- The teams went back-and-forth early on until PSU settled into a 12-7 lead. Colby-Sawyer pulled to within 15-12, but Stogner's kill led to McDonough's long service run as the Panthers took control, 23-12. Colby-Sawyer notched a pair of late points, but Stogner answered, and juniors Ryley McNeeley (Easton, Mass.) and Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) combined for a set-ending block and a 25-14 win.
- Undeterred, the Chargers came out strong to start the second set, ultimately pulling ahead 16-11. Stogner's ace pulled the hosts to within one, 19-18, and, after a Chargers' kill, Ryan found the floor to spark the comeback. Sophomore Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) ripped off an ace during a four-point run as the Panthers went up 23-20 and moments later McDonough and senior Emilee Flanagan (Milton, N.H.) teamed up on a stuff block for the 25-21 victory.
- Stogner and sophomore Lindsay Sanderson (Gilford, N.H.) notched kills and McDonough added an ace as the Panthers raced out to a 9-3 lead in set three. The visitors battled back to cut the margin to one, 15-14, but Stogner pounded down four kills during a 7-1 surge for a 22-15 advantage. The teams played even from there, with sophomore Morgan Drinkwater (Steep Falls, Maine) recording the winning kill for a 25-19 triumph to close the match.
By the Numbers:
- Stogner posted a double-double with game highs of 16 kills and 13 digs to go with a pair of aces. She hit .394 for the match.
- Emilee Flanagan had six kills without an error (.400 attack pct.), while seven other Panthers also recorded kills.
- McDonough stuffed the box score with 30 assists, 10 digs and three aces, while sophomore Imalay Rodriguez Martinez (Juncos, Puerto Rico) added ten digs.
- Plymouth State improves to 20-12 all-time against the Chargers and has dropped just one set while winning the last four meetings.
Up Next:
- The Panthers head to Plattsburgh State for the Cardinal Classic this weekend. PSU squares off against Clarkson on Friday (Sept. 2) before facing NCAA Division II St. Michael's and Coast Guard on Saturday.
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