Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The fourth-seeded University of New England Nor'easters rallied from a 2-1 deficit to overtake fifth-seeded Western New England College for a 3-2 victory in a quarterfinal-round match of the 2010 The Commonwealth Coast Conference Volleyball Championship.

The Nor'easters (20-10) advance to play top-seeded and reigning champion Roger Williams University, a 3-0 winner over Regis College. On the other side ot the bracket, No. 2 Endicott College swept No. 7 Gordon College and No. 3 Colby-Sawyer College got by Salve Regina University, 3-1. Both semifinal-round matches are slated for 7 p.m. starts on Thursday.

Down a set and trailing 13-6 in the fourth, the Nor'easters came roaring back to win the frame and force a fifth and deciding set. Big Blue jumped out to leads of 6-2 and 8-3 in the final stanza before WNEC recovered to knot the set at 10.

UNE sophomore Lindsey Cashell (Merrimack, N.H.) then served up three straight points to make the score 13-10. The Golden Bears would cut their deficit to one (14-13), but senior tri-captain Kristen Edwards (Laconia, N.H.) wrapped up the victory for the Nor'easters with her match-high 19th kill.

After dropping the first set 25-21, WNEC fought back to win the next two (25-23, 25-15). The strong play of senior Lauren Landri (New Canaan, Conn.) and first-year Maureen Pollet (Dix Hills, N.Y.) at the net helped lead the charge.

Edwards recorded just two attack errors on 45 total attempts in matching her career high in kills. Cashell added 10 kills, 15 digs and was perfect on all 19 of her serve-receive attempts. Sophomore Paige Curran (Chelmsford, Mass.) chipped in eight kills and three total blocks. Defensively, first-year libero Kirsta Adie (Tyngsboro, Mass.) led the way with 20 digs.

First-years Maria Kuehl (Middleton, N.H.) and Nicole Kalinowski (Tucson, Ariz.) combined to register 40 assists for the Nor'easters. Kalinowksi also contributed four aces while Kuehl dug out 11 balls.

Big Blue also received a spark off the bench in the fourth and fifth sets from senior tri-captains Meghan Flynn (Stoneham, Mass.) and Angie Gust (Manitowoc, Wisc.).

Senior Samantha Shomo (Glen Gardner, N.J.) had 14 kills to pace the Golden Bears (10-20). Landri and Pollett finished with 13 apiece, while Landri added five total blocks, including three solo. Senior Katharina Boes (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) played a brilliant all-around match with 38 assists, 12 digs, three blocks and three aces. Senior Marci Egbert (Wayne, N.J.) was credited with a team-best 18 digs. 

UNE's 20 wins mark the first time the program has reached that plateau since the 1998 season. The Nor'easters will be looking to avenge a pair of losses to Roger Williams during the regular season.