Southern Maine Athletics

HENNIKER, N.H. – Emma Bernard recorded a game-leading 10 kills to lead the New England College Pilgrims to a 3-0 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's volleyball on Wednesday evening. Sophomores Haylie Bidegain (Logan, N.M) Lizzy Harbester (Plympton, Mass./Silver Lake Regional) each had six kills for the Huskies. Bidgean led all players in total blocks with three.
 
Sophomore Reese Helisek (Halifax, Mass./Silver Lake Regional) and junior Alexis Tortola (Rowland Heights, Cali./Bishop Amat) had 10 assists to lead the Huskies, while Alexandra Seijas-Quea led NEC in both assists with 16 and digs with 13. Freshman Sofia Daoud (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) led the Huskies in digs with 14. Helisek added 10 digs to finish with her second consecutive double-double.
 
The Records:
Southern Maine: 3-7
New England College: 6-5
 
Series History:
Tonight's game was the seventh all-time between the Huskies and Pilgrims. The Pilgrims lead the series 5-2. The Huskies earned a 3-2 win last year to snap a four-game losing streak in the series.
 
How It Happened:

• The Pilgrims had a 4-0 run to start the first set and never lost the lead on their way to a 25-17 win. Harbester, Bidegain and senior Anyelis Hernandez (Lawrence, Mass.) each had two kills for the Huskies.
• In the second set, the Huskies used a 5-0 run to take the lead at 18-17 after trailing 18-13. Two of those points came on aces by Daoud. The Pilgrims tied the score with the next point before the Huskies jumped back ahead. However, the Pilgrims retook the lead with a 5-0 run and held off a late surge to take the set 25-23.
• NEC finished the sweep with a 25-21 win in the third set. The Huskies had a 7-0 run that included a pair of aces from Tortolla to go ahead 11-9, and got the lead up to 19-16 before a 5-0 run by the Pilgrims shifted the momentum.

 
Inside The Stats:

• The Pilgrims led 34-25 in kills and 10-7 in aces.
• Led by three block assists from Bidegain, the Huskies had a 5-3 lead in total blocks.

Up Next:
The Huskies will host UMass Dartmouth and Husson University in a tri-match on Saturday. Southern Maine will celebrate Husky legend Jess Williamson '18 and her induction into the Little East Conference Hall of Fame with a ring ceremony at 11:50 am before the 12:00 pm match against UMass Dartmouth.