Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- After dropping the initial two frames, the University of New England stormed back on Gordon College to secure a 3-2 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's volleyball victory (22-25, 18-25, 25-15, 25-21, 15-10) on Saturday afternoon (Sep. 28) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

Unbeaten in the last nine outings, the Nor'easters (11-1, 2-0 CCC) keep their best start in recent program history (23 years) going with the result. UNE went the entire month of September without suffering a setback -- the longest winning streak in the same period.

The hosts worked into a 17-11 lead in the 1st set, but Gordon closed with a 10-3 run to take it. Valerie Nilan notched six kills in seven swings during the stanza for the Scots. The Nor'easters were up again (11-5) early in the 2nd, until eight unanswered by the visitors flipped the spread to 19-14. Jordan Shaduk, Nilan, and Ashlyn Gergins each tallied two points in the spurt to help their side take control.

Seven in-a-row by UNE turned around an 8-5 deficit in the 3rd, and the Nor'easters gradually extended the cushion to get on the board. Aside from a 1-all tie at the beginning of the 4th, Big Blue led the whole way in the penultimate set, though not by more than four at any point. Stephanie Erickson converted all seven of her attacks in the session to pace UNE, which was challenged by six kills from Gordon's Amanda Snyder.

The Fighting Scots had a 4-2 edge in the 5th before Katie Flynn dropped down a kill and two aces in a span of four points that put UNE ahead for good. The home team capitalized on four consecutive GC errors to go up, 12-7, and soon finished off the rally with another winner from Flynn and a block by Erickson and Sydney Christiansen.

Erickson topped the Nor'easters with 16 kills and a .577 hitting percentage. Flynn contributed 16.5 points (13 kills) and 19 digs, while Christiansen also posted a double-double of 46 assists and 10 digs. Molly Camelo and Paige Simoneau combined evenly for 13 kills and 27 digs, in support.

For Gordon (6-9, 0-2 CCC), Nilan ended with 15 kills and a hand in five blocks. Snyder went for 13 kills and 18 digs, and Gergins accumulated 41 assists with 12 digs. Jenny Curtiss equaled the match-high of 19 digs.

UNE welcomes in Nichols College (0-2 CCC) for the league contest on Wednesday (7 p.m.).