Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- First-year Natalie Roy (Los Altos, Calif.) racked up 18 kills to go with 12 digs to lead Colby College to a narrow 3-0 victory over the University of New England in non-conference women's volleyball action Thursday (Oct. 18) at the Harold Alfond Forum. The Mules captured each set by just two points though -- 25-23, 25-23, and 26-24.

Colby improves to 10-8 overall with the win, while the Nor'easters drop back to 13-7 on the year.

Senior Maggie Taylor (Washington, D.C.) added seven kills on top of her team-high 17 digs for the Mules, and classmate Emily Varni (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) tallied four points on service aces while digging out 14 balls. Junior Kate Pleasants (Virginia Beach, Va.) helped guide the attack with 34 assists.

For UNE, senior Paige Curran (Chelmsford, Mass.) recorded a team-best 13 kills, and classmate Jillian Goldstein (Lynnfield, Mass.) chipped in with nine. Juniors Maria Kuehl (Middleton, N.H.) and Kirsta Adie (Tyngsboro, Mass.) combined for 33 digs, all as Kuehl notched 32 assists and Adie dropped in three aces. Sophomore Leah Janelle (Madbury, N.H.) also registered 12 digs on the defensive side of things.

Colby established a 20-13 cushion in the opening frame, however saw it disappear (22-22) after a 9-2 spurt from the Nor'easters -- including a pair of big winners from Goldstein. Taylor got the next two points to put the Mules up, 24-22, and following a point for UNE, Roy finished off the set with her sixth kill of the stanza.

Down one (19-18) in the second, Goldstein knocked down back-to-back kills and three of the ensuing four points went for the hosts, who moved in front 23-20. Three attack errors and two more winners from Roy gave the Mules the five straight points they would need to gain a 2-0 advantage in the match.

The Nor'easters led by four (10-6) early in the third, and though Colby soon tied things at 13-all, UNE was awarded the next  four points to go up, 17-13. The difference was still four at 23-19, before five straight miscues by the Nor'easters allowed the Mules to take a 24-23 lead. Big Blue did manage to extend the set with a kill by Curran on the next point, but Roy stepped up to put down her last two tries and seal the deal.

Colby is back at it Friday (5 p.m.) with a visit to Mount Holyoke College, while UNE returns to the court on Saturday for a tri-match at Keene State College with the Owls (4 p.m.) and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (2 p.m.).