USM Sweep UMPI 3-0 and 3-0

            GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine women's volleyball team extended its winning streak to seven Saturday by sweeping a non-conference doubleheader from visiting University of Maine at Presque Isle at the Warren Hill Gymnasium.

            The Huskies took the opening match 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-20), and later returned to the court to win the second match, also by a 3-0 count (25-15, 25-23, 25-12).  With the sweep, the Huskies improved their overall record to 12-4.  The youthful Owls (nine freshmen), riding a two-match winning streak coming into the doubleheader, fall to 6-11 overall.  The two teams will meet again at the Hill Gymnasium as part of a tri-match with Eastern Connecticut State University on October 28.

            In the opening match, USM's attack had another dominate match knocking down 43 kills and compiling a .298 attack percentage.  Sophomore Faolain Harrington (Auburn, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) led the way with a season-high 13 kills.  Senior Jess Williamson (Goffstown, N.H.) had 10 kills, and sophomore Kylee Austin (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) added eight kills.

            Junior setter Nicole Schmitz (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham) passed out 27 assists, and rookie Kristina Odom (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Winegrass Ranch) had a team-high eight digs.

            For the Owls, rookie Taylor Johnson (Eagle, Idaho) had seven kills.  Classmates Maddi Thweatt (Middleton, Idaho) and Miranda Washinawatok (Shawano, Wis.) had four kills apiece.  Freshman setter Brittney Harper (East Mountain, Nova Scotia) passed out 11 assists, and sophomore Esmeralda Galvan (Bullhead City, Ariz.) had a match-high nine digs.

            In the second match, Williamson paced USM's front line with 10 kills.  Harrington and Austin had six kills apiece as the Huskies racked up 37 kills and a .291 attack percentage.  Schmitz had 28 assists.  Sophomore Jenna Graves (Corinth, Texas/Lake Dallas) served a season-high six aces.  Four Huskies had nine digs.

            Washinawatok led the Owls with a match-high 11 kills.  Thweatt contributed seven kills.  Harper passed out 22 assists to go along with nine digs.  Johnson also had nine digs and four service aces.

            Southern Maine entertains Little East Conference foe Plymouth State University in its next match on Tuesday (7:00 p.m.).  UMPI will return home to host in-state rival University of Maine at Fort Kent for a doubleheader on Wednesday (5:00 p.m.).

-ble-