DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Graduate student
Ella Koelb (Auburn, N.H.) was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player as third-seeded Plymouth State University upset top-seeded and two-time defending Little East Conference (LEC) champion University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 3-1 (25-20, 25-10, 17-25, 25-20), in the LEC Women's Volleyball Tournament championship match at Tripp Athletic Center on Saturday evening.
Plymouth State (23-7) captures its second LEC Tournament title and advances to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history. The Panthers will learn their postseason matchup when the NCAA unveils the full 64-team bracket during its selection show at 1 p.m. on Monday (Nov. 17) on NCAA.com. UMass Dartmouth (21-8) will hold out hope for an at-large berth.
The Panthers relied on an overpowering offense, outstanding floor defense and solid blocking to defeat UMass Dartmouth for the second time in two weeks.
Leading 22-21 in the opening set, sophomore
Sydney Riley (Haverhill, Mass.) slammed two of her 12 kills, and a UMD error helped PSU secure the first-set win.
PSU completely dominated in set two, taking full control of the match with a 15-1 run. Leading 9-7 early, junior
Annalyn Cahill (Mystic, Conn.) caught fire, smashing seven kills during the decisive surge and adding another to close out the 25-10 victory.
UMass Dartmouth responded in set three, scoring the first five points and later building a 22-12 lead. The Panthers made a brief push with a 5-0 run, but UMD held on for a 25-17 win to extend the match.
The Panthers established an early lead in set four and kept the Corsairs at arm's length. The hosts closed within 19-18, but a Riley kill and block swung momentum back to PSU before Cahill and McKay delivered the final two kills to seal the championship.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, UMass Dartmouth 1
- Plymouth State (23-7)
- UMass Dartmouth (21-8)
How it Happened:
- The opening set went back and forth with a kill from freshman Sya McKay (Somersworth, N.H.) pulled PSU within 8-7. UMass Dartmouth used a small run to build a 14-8 lead, but the Panthers regrouped after a timeout. Koelb hammered a kill and freshman Alice Borriello Diaz (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) tied the match at 19-19. A UMD error put PSU ahead 22-21, Riley delivered back-to-back kills for set point, and another Corsairs miscue wrapped up the 25-22 win.
- Graduate student Ava Duymazlar (Center Harbor, N.H.) produced several highlight-reel digs during a long rally before Koelb's kill gave PSU a 3-0 lead to start set two. UMD closed to 9-7, but Cahill took over, blasting seven kills during a 15-1 run as PSU cruised. Her eighth kill of the set finished off the 25-10 rout.
- With their season on the line, UMD opened set three with five straight points. McKay kept PSU close, but consecutive UMD points stretched the lead to 17-10. The Corsairs pushed to 22-12 before PSU battled back with five straight. UMD steadied and claimed the final three points to take the set, 25-17.
- A Borriello Diaz ace helped PSU grab a 5-2 lead in set four, and the Panthers stayed in front the rest of the way. Riley made it 11-5, but UMD stayed within range. A three-point PSU run, capped by two more Riley kills, pushed the lead to 19-14, though UMD answered with four straight to pull within 19-18. Riley's kill and block halted the surge, and Cahill and McKay closed out the match with the final two kills.
By the Numbers:
- McKay led all players with 15 kills (.370) and added two blocks.
- Cahill finished with 13 kills and two blocks, while Riley hit .455 with 12 kills and six blocks.
- Koelb recorded 36 assists, nine kills, six digs, three blocks and an ace. For the tournament, she totaled 43 kills (.217), 67 assists, 25 digs, four blocks and three aces to claim Most Outstanding Player honors.
- Senior Veronika Castro Rodriguez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) paced all players with 25 digs; Duymazlar added 12.
- Borriello Diaz served four aces.
- PSU hit better than .325 in each of the three sets it won, including a .395 mark in set one.
- This was the third straight year the teams met in the championship match.
- Plymouth State leads the all-time series, 30-5, though UMD had been 2-0 in postseason matchups prior to tonight.
Up Next:
- The NCAA will reveal the full bracket – including Plymouth State's first round matchup – during the selection show on Monday (Nov. 17) at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com.
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