GORHAM, Maine – Freshman Reese Helisek (Halifax, Mass./Silver Lake Regional tallied 47 assists over two matches as the University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's volleyball team was defeated by Western Connecticut State and Worcester Polytechnic Institution on Saturday afternoon in a tri-match in Hill Gym. Each match ended 3-0. Freshman Taylor Joyal (Nashua, N.H./Nashua North) led the Huskies with 10 kills in the match against WestConn while fellow freshman Lizzy Harbester (Plympton, Mass./Silver Lake Regional) paced the squad with eight in the match against WPI.
 
Juniors Kylee Eubanks-Hemme (Rosamond, Cali.) and Amelia Beatty (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) each had 10 digs against WestConn.
 
Game 1 vs. WestConn
The Records:
WestConn: 15-6 (3-3 LEC)
Southern Maine: 7-19 (1-5 LEC)
 
Series History:
WestConn leads the all-time series 28-0.
 
How It Happened:

• The Wolves won the opening 25-15 and closed out the set on a 5-1 run to go ahead one set to none. Joyal had four of Southern Maine's 13 kills in the set.
• The second set also ended 25-15 in favor of WestConn despite a late rally by the Huskies.
• Southern Maine jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third set thanks in part to three kills and an ace by Joyal. The Wolves took an 11-9 lead thanks to a 6-0 run before the Huskies took the lead back at 17-15 with four straight points. However, the Wolves put together a 5-0 run to go back ahead and held on to take the set 25-21 to sweep the match.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Eubanks-Heeme finished on the team in points with 10 on eight kills, a solo block and two block assists. Joyal's 11 points on 10 kills and ace led the team.
• Freshman Mariah Eaton (West Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth Regional) recorded two of Southern Maine's three aces in the match.
• WestConn's Julia Stoliker led all players in kills with 19.
• WestConn led 9-3 in aces aided by five from Isabella Pincince.

 
Game 2 vs. WPI
The Records:
WPI: 10-12
Southern Maine: 7-20
 
Series History:
Today's match was the first between the two programs since September 7, 2019, when WPI won 3-1 in Gorham. WPI is 3-0 all-time against the Huskies.
 
How It Happened:

• The Engineers cruised to a 25-9 win in the first set. Harbester and freshman Scarlett Squires (Mount Desert, Maine/Mount Desert Island) each had a pair of kills for the Huskies.
• Southern Maine fought hard in the second set before WPI pulled out a 25-20 win. The Huskies had three aces in the set with two coming from Beatty.
• The Huskies broke a 13-13 tie with a 5-0 run to go ahead 18-15. After the Engineers cut the lead to 18-16, the Huskies extended their lead to 22-16 with a 4-0 run before WPI got back with a point at 22-21 with a 5-0 run of their own. WPI then fought back from set-point 24-21 and took the set 27-25 to end the match.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Beatty and Eaton each had three aces to tie with WPI's Olivia Hutchinson for second in the match. Bridget Spees logged four for the Engineers to help her team to a 9-8 lead in the category.
• Eaton led the Huskies with 10 points on six kills, three aces and a solo block.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies will face Thomas College on the road on Wednesday night at 7:00 pm in Waterville.