KEENE, N.H. – Sophomore
Sya McKay (Somersworth, N.H.) and junior
Sydney Riley (Haverhill, Mass.) combined for 24 kills, but Keene State College topped Plymouth State University, 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-17, 25-20), in Little East Conference (LEC) women's volleyball action at Spaulding Gymnasium Wednesday evening.
Plymouth State recovered from a narrow first-set loss to even the match with a strong offensive performance in set two. The Owls came out firing in the critical third set, though, building a 21-9 lead before holding off PSU's late rally. In the fourth set, a 6-1 spurt helped the hosts take a 22-14 lead, and Plymouth State was unable to extend the match.
Plymouth State falls to 11-4 (2-1 LEC), while Keene State improves to 7-7 (2-1 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Keene State 3
- Plymouth State (11-4, 2-1 LEC)
- Keene State (7-7, 2-1 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Keene State scored four straight points to take a 19-16 lead in the opening set. The Panthers regrouped out of a timeout, tying the score at 19-19 on a kill from junior Addison Soleau (Niantic, Conn.). The teams would be tied at 20, 21, and 22 before the Owls closed out the 25-22 win with three straight points.
- Set two was deadlocked at 11-11, but a Keene State service error gave PSU some momentum. The Panthers got blocks from senior Annalyn Cahill (Mystic, Conn.), sophomore Fiona Bailey (Wrentham, Mass.) and McKay to go in front for good. Another McKay block extended the lead to 21-15, and consecutive McKay kills evened the match with a 25-16 victory.
- Keene State used an 18-6 surge to take a commanding 21-9 lead in the third set. McKay and Riley notched back-to-back kills to spark a comeback attempt as the Panthers cut the deficit to 24-17, but a Panther error gave the Owls the 25-17 win.
- The hosts held a narrow three-point edge midway through the fourth set, but a 6-1 spurt extended the lead to 22-14. Riley and Soleau pounded consecutive kills as the Panthers attempted to claw back, but Keene State was able to hold on for the 25-20 win.
By the Numbers:
- McKay posted a match-high 13 kills and seven blocks.
- Riley added 11 kills while hitting .360, along with a block.
- Cahill and Soleau chipped in six kills apiece, with Cahill adding five blocks.
- Junior Danielle Emerson (Biddeford, Maine) recorded 20 assists and seven digs.
- Senior Christa Imbriano (Wakefield, Mass.) led the defense with 24 digs, while sophomore Alice Borriello Diaz (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) added 16.
- Plymouth State hit .103 for the match, despite posting a .321 attack percentage in the second set, while the Owls hit .123.
- Keene State holds a narrow 26-23 edge in the all-time series and has won the last two regular-season meetings. PSU knocked off the Owls in the first round of the LEC Tournament last fall on the way to the championship run.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State travels to VTSU Castleton on Saturday (Oct. 10) for a pair of matches. The Panthers face the host Spartans at 11 a.m., followed by a non-conference tilt with Paul Smith's at 1 p.m.
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