BRISTOL, R.I. – Junior
Sydney Riley (Haverhill, Mass.) hit .562 with 11 kills in the opening match of the day and classmate
Danielle Emerson (Biddeford, Maine) combined for nine aces as Plymouth State University posted sweeps of Amherst College (25-16, 25-22, 25-22) and Neumann University (25-15, 25-21, 25-17) to wrap up the RWU Invitational at the Campus Rec Center Gymnasium on Saturday.
Riley recorded a second straight match with a hitting percentage of over .500, while Emerson recorded a double-double with 11 assists and 10 digs against Amherst. PSU won a comfortable first set, pulled away after being tied at 20-20 in set two, then rallied from a five-point deficit to complete the sweep.
The Panthers controlled the opening set against Neumann before building a three-point advantage in the middle of the second set that PSU wouldn't relinquish. Three Riley kills and three aces from sophomore
Alice Borriello Diaz (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) highlighted a 10-3 surge in the final set as the Panthers closed out the match.
Plymouth State improves to 4-1. Amherst goes to 1-1, while Neumann moves to 1-3.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 3, Amherst 0
- Plymouth State 3, Neumann 0
- Plymouth State (4-1)
- Amherst (1-1)
- Neumann (1-3)
How it Happened (Amherst):
- Amherst held a slight edge early in the first set, but Riley, Borriello Diaz and freshman Adriana Gauthier (Columbia, Conn.) teamed up for three straight blocks during a 7-0 surge to rally into the lead. Emerson added three aces during a long service run to extend the lead to double digits, and PSU coasted to the 25-16 win.
- Play went back-and-forth throughout the second set, with neither team able to gain more than a three-point edge. An Amherst error snapped a 20-20 tie, and sophomores Fiona Bailey (Wrentham, Mass.) and Sya McKay (Somersworth, N.H.) followed with a block to force a timeout. The teams traded points from there as the Panthers held on for a 25-22 victory.
- The Mammoths grabbed an early five-point lead in set three, but PSU chipped away, ultimately going ahead, 20-19, following back-to-back Amherst errors. With the score knotted at 22-22, Riley's kill sparked a 3-0 spurt to close out the match.
By the Numbers (Amherst):
- Riley finished with 11 kills and three blocks while hitting .562.
- Bailey and senior Annalyn Cahill (Mystic, Conn.) contributed eight kills apiece.
- Emerson notched 11 assists, 10 digs and four aces, while sophomore Emily Sousa (Farmington, Conn.) added 12 assists.
- Borriello Diaz, Emerson and senior Christa Imbriano (Wakefield, Mass.) all finished with 10 digs.
- Plymouth State has won two of the last three meetings.
How it Happened (Neumann):
- Emerson served the Panthers to a 3-0 lead, and PSU wouldn't look back. Two more Emerson aces forced a Neumann timeout with Plymouth State leading 17-10. Later, McKay's kill sparked a five-point run with sophomore Alexa Marucci (Newton, Mass.) serving as the Panthers rolled to a 25-15 win.
- Plymouth State started strong again in set two, going ahead 7-1, but Neumann responded to tie things at 9-9. The score stayed close through the middle stages. Junior Addison Soleau (Niantic, Conn.) and Riley combined for a key block to gain separation, and Emerson's ace sealed set two, 25-21.
- Leading 16-13 in set three, Borriello Diaz ran off consecutive aces to force a timeout. Out of the break, Riley slammed a pair of kills around another Borriello Diaz ace as the lead grew to 22-13 and the Panthers coasted to a 25-17 victory.
By the Numbers (Neumann):
- Riley posted a team-high five kills, while Bailey, Cahill and McKay added four apiece.
- Emerson (five) and Borriello Diaz (three) combined for eight of the team's 12 aces.
- Imbriano led all players with 14 digs.
- Riley and Cahill had three blocks apiece, while Soleau and McKay each had a pair.
- Emerson and Sousa evenly split 20 assists.
- The Panthers have won both meetings between the teams.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State returns home to face Norwich University on Tuesday (Sept. 8) at 5 p.m.
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