BOSTON, Mass. – Graduate student
Ella Koelb (Auburn, N.H.) hammered a match-high 18 kills as third-seeded Plymouth State University rallied from a late deficit in set three to sweep second-seeded University of Massachusetts Boston, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 26-24), in a Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Volleyball Tournament semifinal at Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium on Thursday evening.
Plymouth State improves to 22-7 and advances to the conference championship match for the fourth straight year. For the third year in a row, the Panthers will face top-seeded UMass Dartmouth for the LEC's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. First serve for Saturday's (Nov. 15) title match is set for 6 p.m. at Tripp Athletic Center. UMass Boston concludes its season at 14-13.
UMass Boston erased a late five-point deficit to tie the opening set at 22-22, but Koelb broke the deadlock with a kill and PSU held on for a 25-23 win. The Panthers built a 12-6 lead in set two and stayed in control the rest of the way. The Beacons closed within one several times but never pulled even, and their eighth service error of the set sealed PSU's 25-22 win and a two-set lead.
The Beacons looked ready to force a fourth set, racing to a 10-3 advantage in the third. Plymouth State still trailed 24-21 before Koelb's kill and three straight UMass Boston errors swung momentum. Sophomore
Sydney Riley (Haverhill, Mass.) capped the comeback with a kill to send the Panthers back to the finals.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, UMass Boston 0
- Plymouth State (22-7)
- UMass Boston (14-13)
How it Happened:
- The Beacons opened set one with four straight points, but PSU answered with six straight to take the lead. Junior Annalyn Cahill (Mystic, Conn.) pushed the advantage to 13-8, and the Panthers remained in front. UMB closed to within 16-15, but a Beacons' error and an ace from sophomore Danielle Emerson (Biddeford, Maine) sparked a 5-1 run. UMass Boston rallied to tie it at 22-22 before Koelb and Cahill closed out the 25-23 win.
- Graduate student Ava Duymazlar (Center Harbor, N.H.) sparked a strong service run to help PSU build a 12-6 lead in set two. The Beacons clawed back to 18-17, but continued service miscues kept PSU ahead. Two more missed serves, plus kills from Koelb and freshman Sya McKay (Somersworth, N.H.), gave Plymouth State set point at 24-21. The hosts trimmed the deficit, but another service error secured the 25-22 victory.
- With their season on the line, UMass Boston surged to a 10-3 lead in set three. PSU chipped away but still trailed 24-21. A Koelb kill and Beacons' error cut it to 24-23. The Panthers tied the score out of a timeout, and another UMB miscue gave Plymouth State match point. Riley sealed the sweep with a kill for the 26-24 win.
By the Numbers:
- Koelb finished with 18 kills, 12 assists and seven digs.
- McKay posted seven kills and two aces, while Cahill added five kills.
- Emerson registered 21 assists, two aces and 11 digs.
- Senior Veronika Castro Rodriguez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) anchored the back row with 21 digs. Junior Christa Imbriano (Wakefield, Mass.) and freshman Alice Borriello Diaz (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) added 11 and 10 digs, respectively.
- PSU recorded 76 digs – its most in any three-set match this season.
- The Panthers notched six aces. UMass Boston served eight aces but committed 13 service errors.
- Plymouth State reached the LEC Tournament finals for fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons.
Up Next:
- Third-seeded Plymouth State visits top-seeded UMass Dartmouth on Saturday (Nov. 15) for the LEC Tournament title and the league's automatic NCAA Tournament berth. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
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