HENNIKER, N.H. – Senior
Lindsey Sanderson (Gilford, N.H.) and sophomore
Abigail Bassingthwaite (Plymouth, N.H.) each posted six kills without an error as Plymouth State University continued its hot start, cruising past New England College in straight sets (25-16, 25-14, 25-16) in a non-conference women's volleyball game at Bridges Gym on Thursday night.
Sanderson continued her strong play of late, recording a third straight error free game, while Bassingthwaite pounded her six kills in just two sets of action. The Panthers shook off a slow start in the opening set to tie the game at 11-11. Plymouth State would click from there, using a 14-5 run to close out the win. PSU used a 7-0 spurt to take control of set two before coasting to a 25-14 win, and the Panthers wrapped up the sweep with a 10-3 run to close out the match.
Plymouth State finished with a .350 attack percentage and did not commit an error in the third set, while limiting the Pilgrims to -.067.
The Panthers moved to 6-0 on the season, while NEC drops to 2-5.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, NEC 0
- Plymouth State (6-0)
- NEC (2-5)
How it Happened:
- The Pilgrims got out to a hot start in the opening set to build a four-point advantage. Graduate student Nora Ryan (Groton, Conn.) and freshman Cami Wessels (Plantsville, Conn.) recorded back-to-back kills as Plymouth State rallied to pull even at 8-8. The Panthers maintained a 14-13 advantage until a PSU block sparked a four-point spurt to seize control. Graduate student Ryley McNeeley (Easton, Mass.) had a pair of kills as the lead grew to 23-14 before Wessels closed out the 25-16 win with a kill.
- Set two stayed close in the early going. PSU led by just two, 12-10, but an error and Sanderson kill extended the gap. Sanderson and Ryan added kills out of an NEC timeout as the lead ballooned to 19-10. Plymouth State cruised from there as an ace from senior Imalay Rodriguez Martinez (Juncos, Puerto Rico) secured the 25-14 victory.
- NEC held a slight 7-4 advantage in the early going of set three, but senior Ava Duymazlar (Plymouth, N.H.) served the Panthers into the lead. PSU maintained the lead, 15-13, but the Panthers followed with a 10-3 run to complete the sweep, punctuated by a match-winning block by senior Lilli Stogner (Weare, N.H.).
By the Numbers:
- Ryan led all players with eight kills and hit .462, while McNeeley added seven kills and hit at a .429 clip.
- Sanderson (6-0-18) and Bassingthwaite (6-0-9) each chipped in six kills without an error. Bassingthwaite added three blocks and two aces.
- Senior Riley McDonough (Gilford, N.H.) posted a match-high 13 assists and added four digs.
- Senior Makayla Marucci (Newton, Mass.) finished with seven digs.
- Plymouth State has won all seven meetings in the all-time series, including 3-0 decisions on five occasions.
- PSU's defense and net play has limited opponents to just an .029 attack percentage this season. To date, five of six opponents have hit lower than .080.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State looks to continue its winning ways on Saturday (Sept. 14) when Wheaton College and Maine Maritime Academy come to Foley Gymnasium for a non-conference tri-match. The Panthers host Wheaton at 11:00 a.m., before ending the day against the Mariners at 3:00 p.m.
– 30 –
