PLYMOUTH, N.H.  –  Senior Kaitlyn Tedeschi (Pascoag, R.I./Burrillville) swung for 18 kills as the third-seeded Plymouth State University Panthers rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat sixth-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Little East Conference Championship Tournament Tuesday evening at Foley Gymnasium.

With the win Plymouth State improves to 17-15 overall and advances to the semifinals of the 2013 Little East Conference Championship. The Panthers will face second-seed Keene State on Saturday (3:00 p.m.).  Southern Maine stands at 22-11 and will await a possible ECAC berth.

Tedeschi was one of four Panthers to reach double-digits in kills.  Jana Nieman hit for 14 kills, while Mikki Taffe and Katie Sylvia each had 10 kills.  Kirsten Perrotta had a match high 51 assists for the Panthers.

Southern Maine freshman Kristina Rubico (Chelmsford, Mass.) paced the Huskies with a team-high 15 kills.  She added 11 digs and a pair of service aces.  Sophomore Jessica Garrett (Waterboro, Maine/Palo Verde (NV)) added eight kills on 28 attacks and nine kills, while freshman Alyssa Melanson (Merrimack, N.H.) added seven kills.

Upset-minded USM came out strong in the first set and led most of the way. PSU came back to tie the set at 21-21, and had the first chance to close it out with a 24-23 lead.  The teams see-sawed back and forth, with each team having four set points, before USM finished off the set, 32-30.

Plymouth State took control of the second set and led 10-5 early on. USM whittle the margin down to two points (13-11), but PSU pulled ahead 22-17. The Panthers maintained the advantage and pulled out a 25-21 decision to even the match.

Just two points separated the two teams through the first half of the third set until Southern Maine went on a little roll, pulling ahead16-12. The Huskies maintained the lead the rest of the way, winning the third set, 25-20.  PSU would not go down easy, and jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the fourth set en route to a 25-11 verdict to force a fifth set.

Tedeschi and Nieman took over for PSU in the fifth set, helping the home team to an 8-4 lead when the teams switched sides.  The Panthers scored the next five points and went on to clinch the match with a 15-8 outcome in the decisive fifth set.

The Panthers had some outstanding defensive performances, as senior Cassie Pelton (Brookline, N.H.) and Sylvia recorded 24 and 23 digs, respectively.  Taffe contributed six blocks for PSU and Tedeschi added five.

Six Huskies reached double figures in digs, led by sophomore Renee Trottier (Biddeford, Maine) with 17 and classmate Demi Ruder (Clifton, Colo.) with 16.  Melanson posted a team-high four blocks.

The Huskies 22 wins matches the program's record for wins in the season set in 1976 when they posted a 22-12 record.  Southern Maine's appearance in the LEC tournament marked the first time the team has earned a spot in the tourney since 2003.

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