USM Downs St. Joe's, Falls to UNE

            BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday defeating Saint Joseph's College 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-18) in the opening match before falling to the University of New England 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-14).  The non-conference matches were part of a four-team round-robin event being hosted this year at UNE.

            The split leaves the Huskies with a 2-1 record after the first weekend's play.  UNE (2-0) and Saint Joseph's (0-2) still have matches to play against Maine Maritime Academy (0-1) Saturday afternoon.

            Against Saint Joseph's, junior Jamie Jannarone (Windham, Maine) paced a strong USM offense knocking down 10 kills on 18 attacks.  Sophomores Molly Mawhinney (South Portland, Maine) and Kacey Foerster (Scarborough, Maine), along with senior Megan Gettings (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern), had seven kills apiece.  The Huskies combined for a .309 attack percentage (36-11-81) at the net.

            Sophomore Sophie Lindsay (Pasadena, Calif.) directed the Huskies' offense passing out 28 assists.  Foerster led the back line with 10 digs, and also served up a career-best seven aces.

            Senior Kelsey Bickford (Somersworth, N.H.) had six kills, and junior Erin Olson (Stoughton, Mass./Ursuline Academy) added five, to lead the Monks' offense.  Rookie setter Hanna Holden (Stoughton, Mass.) dished out 18 assists, and junior Madison Provencher (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) had a match-high 12 digs.

            Against the host Nor'easters, the Foerster picked up her second double-double of the season with 10 kills and a match-high 14 digs.  Gettings and senior Kylee Austin (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) each had five kills.  Lindsay had 25 assists, and junior Lauren Delissio (Hebron, Conn./RHAM) had 10 digs.

            Junior Molly Camelo (Melrose, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) posted a double-double for UNE with 10 kills and 11 digs.  Junior Sydney Christiansen (Palatine, Ill.) passed out 32 assists, chipped in five kills and had six digs in a strong all-around performance.  Senior libero Katie Marsh (Melbourne, Australia) had a team-high 12 digs.

            Southern Maine hits the road on Wednesday (7 p.m.) to face Eastern Nazarene College in a non-conference match.

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