Box Score Keene State Downs Southern Maine 3-1
GORHAM, Maine -- After dropping the opening set, the visiting Keene State College Owls roared back to take the next three to defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies 3-1 (25-27, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20) in a Little East Conference match Saturday at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.
The win keeps the Owls unbeaten in Little East play, improving their record to 3-0. The Owls moved to 10-7 overall with their fifth win in their last six matches. The Huskies lost for the first time this season in LEC play this season, slipping to 2-1, and are now 11-5 overall.
Southern Maine took the first set as juniors Jess Williamson (Goffstown, N.H.) and Robbi Termentozzi (Littleton, Colo./Central), and sophomore Nicole Schmitz (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham) had four kills apiece.
The Owls came back behind the strong net play of junior outside hitter Rachel Lamica (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) who had 17 kills over the final three sets. Classmate Courtney Collins (Litchfield, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) contributed six kills in the decisive fourth set. Lamica finished the match with 23 kills and a .375 hitting percentage (23-2-56), and Collins had 13 kills.
KSC junior setter Katie Cunningham (Nelsonville, N.Y./Haldane) dished off 45 assists and dug up 12 balls for a double-double. Sophomore libero Riley Bunker (Simi Valley, Calif.) had a team-high 15 digs and served three aces.
Williamson notched her ninth double-double for USM recording 14 kills and 16 digs. Senior Megan Nilson (Granby, Conn.) also had a double-double, her eighth of the campaign, with 25 assists and 13 digs, and she knocked down eight kills. Schmitz added nine kills, 21 assists and 11 digs to earn her third double-double of the season.
Southern Maine begins a long stretch of road matches Tuesday night (6:00 p.m.) with a Little East Conference match at Plymouth State University. Keene State is back in action on Thursday (7:00 p.m.) playing a non-conference match at MCLA (Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts).
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