BIDDEFORD, Maine (September 23, 2023) – The Western New England women's volleyball team dropped the opening set of the match, though they raced past the Nor'easters from the University of New England in the final three sets to take a 3-1 victory in the conference opening match on Saturday evening.
Records:
- Western New England: 6-4, 1-0 CCC
- University of New England: 5-3, 0-1 CCC
How it Happened:
The Nor'easters would open with a first-set victory over the Golden Bears after a 5-4 Golden Bears lead would turn into a 9-5 Nor'easters lead.
Isabelle Petty stopped that run with a kill, though the Nor'easters would continue to roll. UNE took a seven-point lead at 16-9 before Western New England would attempt a comeback with three straight points as
Ella Soutter would send down a kill,
Becca Mayer would cash in on a service ace, and
Alissa Hawes would put one down as Western New England would trail by just four. From there, it would be all UNE as the Nor'easters would win nine of the next 12 points to take the opening set 25-16.
Western New England would come to life in the second set after seeing UNE take a 2-0 lead early.
Taylor Geist would even the score at two with a service ace, while
Alissa Hawes and
Yemayma Molina would collect a block to give WNE the lead. The Golden Bears would continue to roll in the set, getting back-to-back kills from
Yemayma Molina, sending the Golden Bears to a 17-11 lead. UNE would mount a comeback late, grabbing four straight points after the Golden Bears took a 22-15 lead, sending the match to 22-19. UNE would climb all the way back, tying the match at 24-all before a service error and attack error by the Nor'easters would see Western New England take their first set of the match to even the score at one.
A back-and-forth third set would see Western New England rip off seven straight points on serves from
Zoe Bozzay, as Western New England would get kills from
Taylor Geist,
Alissa Hawes, and
Yemayma Molina to take a 14-8 lead. UNE would come back and even the match at 16 before Western New England would begin to pull away again after
Ava Cariddi would send one to the floor to take a 19-17 lead. UNE would once again make the comeback before
Alissa Hawes took the third set into her own hands and spiked two straight points to the floor, as Western New England took the third set to take a 2-1 lead, winning 26-24.
The Golden Bears would open a big lead in the fourth set after
Becca Mayer got Western New England eight straight points, getting kills and blocks from
Isabelle Petty and
Alissa Hawes, as the Golden Bears would never lose the lead from there, claiming the match. At 18-8, UNE would grab the next three points, though Western New England would close the match on a 4-0 run on service from
Isabella Procida, as Western New England would take the 25-13 win in the fourth set and a 3-1 win in the match to open CCC play with a win.
Inside the Lines:
- Although the Golden Bears hit percentage was outdone by their opponents, WNE came away with 11 service aces and nine blocks to lead their way to victory.
- Alissa Hawes put down 16 kills in the four-set match to lead all players.
- Taylor Geist collected 33 assists, continuing her dominance on the court.
Up Next on the Schedule:
- WNE takes on Lasell University for the second time this season, looking to get their revenge on the Lasers on Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 PM from Newton, Massachusetts.
