USM Downs R.I. College and Colby

            GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine women's volleyball team stretched its winning streak to four matches Saturday by defeating Rhode Island College in a Little East Conference match 3-1 (27-25, 25-22, 14-25, 25-22), and Colby College 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-13) in a non-conference encounter at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.

            With the two victories, the Huskies improved to 9-4 overall and 1-1 in LEC play.  Rhode Island College, which beat Colby in the middle match of the day 3-1 (25-17, 26-24, 26-28, 25-16), is now 7-6 overall and 0-2 in the LEC.  Colby dropped to 2-8 overall with the two non-conference losses.

            Senior Jess Williamson (Goffstown, N.H.) combined for 34 kills and a .375 attack percentage (34-7-72) in the two matches.  Against RIC, she had 22 kills and 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the season.  Williamson came back against Colby to knock down 12 kills, including the 1,600th kill of her career, and dug up a team-high nine balls.

            Junior Nicole Schmitz (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham) passed out 41 assists against RIC, and another 26 against Colby.  Senior Mo Raymond (Sanbornton, N.H./Winnisquam) and sophomore Jenna Graves (Corinth, Texas/Lake Dallas) reach double figures in digs against RIC with 10 apiece.

            The Huskies earned a season-high 11 blocking points against the Anchorwomen.  Sophomores Faolain Harrington (Auburn, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) and Kylee Austin (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy), rookie Jamie Jannarone (Windham, Maine) and Schmitz all had five block assists.

            Senior Courtney Lambrese (Cranston, R.I./Cranston West) led three RIC players in double digits for kills against the Huskies earning a match-high 24 kills.  Junior Jillian Ward (Coventry, R.I.) posted 18 kills, and rookie Jacqueline Jutras (Foster, R.I.) had 10.  Senior setter Abigayl White (Coventry, R.I.) passed out 42 assists and had 11 digs for a double-double.  Rookie Samantha Borges (Swansea, Mass./Joseph Case) led all players with 14 digs.

            For Colby, junior Paige Hanssen (Earlysville, Va.) had 11 kills and 14 digs against the Huskies.  Senior Emily Moslener (Leonardtown, Md.) and sophomore Mae Sefransky (Mystic, Conn.) combined for 19 assists.

            Southern Maine returns to the court on Thursday (7:00 p.m.) facing New England College in a non-conference match.  Rhode Island College returns home to play Wheaton College on Thursday (7:00 p.m.), and Colby travels to Middlebury College next Saturday for a NESCAC match.

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