CASTLETON, Vt. – Senior
Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.) slammed six kills and hit better than .600 in just two sets of action as Plymouth State University swept past Vermont State University Castleton, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-12), in Little East Conference (LEC) women's volleyball action at Glenbrook Gymnasium on Saturday morning.
The Panthers scored the first eight points of set one, setting an early tone to start the match. PSU survived a Spartans' rally midway through the set, then coasted to a comfortable win in the opener. Stogner slammed five kills in the second set alone as the Panthers held VTSU Castleton at arm's length to build the commanding 2-0 lead, before blowing past the hosts, 25-12, in set three to secure the sweep and stay unbeaten in LEC play.
Plymouth State jumps to 19-2 (5-0 LEC), while the Spartans slide to 9-11 (0-5 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, VTSU Castleton 0
- Plymouth State (19-2, 5-0 LEC)
- VTSU Castleton (9-11, 0-5 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Sophomore Emma Hampton (Durham, N.H.) opened the match with back-to-back kills and senior Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) ripped off four straight aces as the Panthers raced out to an 8-0 lead. The hosts cut the deficit to four, 12-8, but PSU to restore a seven-point margin and a kill from senior Lindsey Sanderson (Gilford, N.H.) closed out the 25-18 win.
- PSU held a narrow 6-5 lead early in set two until kills by Stogner and freshman Danielle Emerson (Biddeford, Maine) helped the Panthers create some distance. Another Stogner winner pushed the lead to 11-5 to force a Spartans' timeout. Plymouth State retained a comfortable margin, as graduate student Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) found the floor to make it 17-8, but the hosts rallied with four straight points. The Panthers would keep Castleton at arm's length the rest of the way, though, with a Spartans' error capping the 25-19 victory.
- Castleton snagged an early 7-5 lead in set three, but Ryan's kill sparked a 5-0 spurt. An ace from senior Riley McDonough (Gilford, N.H.) put the Panthers up six, 15-9, and PSU scored seven of the next eight points to take a commanding lead. Ryan's kill gave PSU match point, and a Spartans' hitting error closed out he sweep, 25-12.
By the Numbers:
- Stogner finished with six kills on just eight attempts to finish with a .625 attack percentage. She added five digs.
- Ryan posted a match-best nine kills, while Hampton chipped in five.
- Emerson and McDonough finished with 13 assists apiece, with Marucci leading the backrow with nine digs.
- Plymouth State is a perfect 7-0 against the Spartans all-time, winning all seven matches in three sets.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to Keene State on Wednesday (Oct. 23) for a 7:00 p.m. clash with the Owls.
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