Huskies Fall to Eastern Conn, Defeat Salem State

            WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- The University of Southern Maine women's volleyball team split its two matches Saturday afternoon dropping a Little East Conference match to Eastern Connecticut State University, 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-19) before knocking off Salem State University, 3-0 (26-24, 25-12, 25-14) in a non-conference affair.

            The Huskies, winners in four of their last five matches, moved to 15-10 overall.  The LEC loss to Eastern Connecticut snapped the Huskies' three-match winning streak and dropped them to 2-3 in conference play.  Eastern Connecticut, which defeated Salem State in the day's final match, 3-0 (25-17, 25-7, 25-15), improved to 16-9 overall and 3-2 in LEC play.  Salem State dropped to 6-20 overall with the two non-conference losses.

            Junior outside hitter Jess Williamson (Goffstown, N.H.) posted a double-double in both matches.  Against Eastern Connecticut, Williamson had 12 kills and 13 digs, and then came back against Salem State to contribute 12 kills and 14 digs.  Senor setter Megan Nilson (Granby, Conn.) also had a double-double against Eastern Connecticut with 12 assists and 10 digs.

            Against Salem State, rookie Alayna McNally (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) had 10 kills and classmate Faolain Harrington (Auburn, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) had seven kills and three service aces.  Nilson had 16 assists, and sophomore Nicole Schmitz (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham) passed out 14 assists.

            Senior Adriana Mihalek (Woodbury, Conn./Holy Cross) led Eastern Connecticut to its win over the Huskies with 12 kills, four aces and eight digs.  Mihalek became EC's all-time career leader in kills during the match.  Senior Ashley Adams (Mystic, Conn./Fitch Sr.) complemented Mihalek with six kills, and junior Caryn Sibiskie (Rockfall, Conn./Coginchaug Regional) and senior Kay Mullen (Fairhaven, Mass.) had five kills apiece.  Sophomore Leah Sopneski (Deep Valley, Conn./Valley Regional) posted 13 assists and senior Fabiana Della-Monica (Newark, Del.) had 10 assists and five service aces.

            Salem State got eight kills and two aces from rookie Chloe Roy (West Springfield, Mass.), and four kills from classmate Haley Reed (Goffstown, N.H.).  Sophomore setter Mackenzie Salls (Turners Falls, Mass.) had 10 assists, and junior Hannah Mullarkey (Salem, Mass.) led the Vikings with eight digs.

            Southern Maine begins the final week of the regular season heading to the University of Massachusetts Boston for a Little East Conference match on Tuesday (6:00 p.m.).  Eastern Connecticut will host in-state rival Western Connecticut State University on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.) in an LEC match.  Salem State hosts Mount Ida College in a non-conference match on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.). 

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