GORHAM, ME. –The University of Southern Maine Volleyball team returned home Saturday for a tri-match with Little East Conference opponent Eastern Connecticut State University and non-conference opponent Colby College. The Huskies were upended in both contests falling 3-0 to the Warriors and 3-1 to the Mules. The setbacks send the Huskies to 5-8 overall and 1-1 in the conference. 
 
ECSU and Colby also played each other with the Warriors sweeping through the Mules 3-0. The Warriors improve to 9-1 and remain unbeaten in LEC play and the split sends the Mules to 5-2.
 
Reigning LEC Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week, outside hitter Alizia Lagando (Huron, OH) set a new personal best during the second match accumulating 19 kills while hitting a sublime .459 versus Colby.
 
When and Where: Saturday, September 25, 2021 – University of Southern Maine – Warren G. Hill Gymnasium
 
Game One Score: Warriors 3, Huskies 0 (13-25, 18-25, 14-25)
 
Game One History: This was the 23rd meeting between the two programs. Eastern Connecticut leads the series 20-3
 
Game One Standout Husky: senior setter Sophie Lindsay (Sierra Madre, CA): seven kills, nine assists, two aces, two digs, one block, .500 hitting%.
 
Game One Standout Warrior: Alaetra Long: 11 kills, three aces, two assists, two digs, one block, .643 hitting%.
 
How It Happened, Game One: 
 
-The Warriors held a 12-8 advantage following a service error by Abby Stern. From there they notched seven straight points to take a commanding 19-8 edge using back-to-back aces off the serve of Nayeli Cruz Martinez. Their lead expanded to 24-11 until they got the setpoint when Meg Verizzi set up Stern for the 25-13 win.
 
-The Huskies were in front early 2-1 in the second set as Lindsay set up sophomore outside hitter Brianna Delloiacono (Moodus, CT) for the first USM lead of the match. Trailing 14-8, Southern Maine fought their way back to pull within one, 14-13 capitalizing on three Warrior miscues to go with a Lindsay service ace. ECSU went on a 6-1 mini-spurt to increase the margin to six, 20-14, but dropped it down to four, 20-16 thanks to a freshman right side Isabella Smith (Merrimack, NH) ace. That would be the closest they would come in the second set. 
 
-Behind 2-1 in the opening portion of the third set, the Warriors erupted for an 8-1 scoring binge capped off by a Verizzi kill to push ahead 9-3. They kept at it with another run to eventually lead 20-7 late in the set. Southern Maine kept on clawing back into the match with four straight, three by Lindsay, two kills, and an ace paired with a dual block by Smith and senior co-captain Kim Grant (Saco, ME). ECSU eventually completed the sweep with a 25-14 third set victory.
 
Inside The Box Score, Game One: 
 
-Eastern Connecticut State hit .581 in the match and doubled up the Huskies in kills (45-to-22).
-Both squads hit their best during the third and final set (ESCU: .800%, USM: .471%).
-Anna Barry and Alaetra Long matched each other with a game-best 11 kills.
 
 
 
Game Two Score: Mules 3, Huskies 1 (20-25, 25-21, 17-25, 19-25)
 
Game Two History: This was the 23rd meeting between the two programs. The Mules lead the series 19-4.
 
Game Two Standout Husky: Alizia Lagando: career-high 19 kills, .459 hitting%, eight digs, one total block.
 
Game Two Standout Mule: Jenny Slaveck: 17 kills, .324 hitting%, nine digs, two total blocks, one ace.
 
How It Happened, Game Two: 
 
-Colby was ahead 6-3 in the early going, but the Huskies evened the game with three straight kills by the freshman duo of middle hitter Madison Zimmer (Regina, SK, Canada) and Lagando. Southern Maine took their first lead 8-7 via a Morgan Selby ball handling error. The Mules answered with five in a row to reestablish the edge to their side, 12-8. Their lead climbed to 17-10 due to a Hannah Wyllie kill. Behind eight, USM came back to make it a two-point set, 20-18 after a Slaveck attack error. The Huskies remained down two until the three in a row gave the Mules the 1-0 match edge.
 
-The second set was all USM as they took a commanding 15-6 lead due to four straight points including a sophomore Sierra Castonguay (Nottingham, NH) ace. Colby brought their deficit to six, 19-13, however, the Huskies built the margin back up to nine 23-14 with Castonguay serving again. The Mules dropped the score to 24-21 and Langando evened the match with a thunderous kill for the Huskies.
 
-Southern Maine took a big 5-0 lead early. Colby brought it to a one-score set 7-6 off the swing of Slaveck. The Huskies built it back up to multiple scores set at 14-8 and remained ahead 17-14 after a timeout and a Slaveck attack error. The Slaveck miscue was the last Husky point of the crucial third set as Colby rattled off 11 consecutive to steal a 25-17 third set dub.
 
-USM jumped out to a 2-0 score off two Colby mistakes. Still leading 4-1, Colby notched five straight to take their first advantage of the fourth set at 6-4. That was part of a 10-1 outburst as they built up an 11-5 margin. The guests eventually grew the score to 17-8 with Morgan Selby dumping home two kills. Southern Maine battled late to come within six, but Caitlin Haller iced the match for Colby.
 
Inside The Box Score, Game Two: 
 
-In the third set, Southern Maine had more attack errors (7) than kills (5).
-USM hit a team-best .345 in their second set victory.
-Colby had the better net presence recording 12 blocks to the Huskies four.
-Castonguay racked up a match-high 19 digs, which was also a career-high mark.
 
Up Next: The navy and gold ship down to Boston on Wednesday for a 7:00 p.m. conference showdown with the University of Massachusetts – Boston.
 
 Southern Maine Athletics has gone to fully digital game programs, please click this link to access the game programs to future Husky home events!