Statistics

STANDISH, Maine -- Stephanie Erickson dialed up 14 kills with a .583 hitting percentage to lead the University of New England women's volleyball squad past the University of Southern Maine, 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-19), as the 2021 season kicked off Friday evening (Sep. 3) at the Harold Alfond Center on the campus of Saint Joseph's College.

Supporting Erickson's 18 points were Lauren Davenport and Viktoria Pavlyuk with nine winners each, and Mia Martel chipped in with six more kills. Addie Miller framed the attack with 37 assists, and registered 12 digs in defensive moments. The back line received 16 digs apiece from Paige Weatherbee and Adryona Miller; Weatherbee also dropped in four aces. The Nor'easters (1-0) combined for seven blocks.

For the Huskies (0-2), Alizia Lagando had seven kills and Sophie Lindsay went for six winners and 14 assists. Tori McMahon and Brianna Dellolacono combined for 29 digs.

UNE used a 5-0 spurt to gain control midway through the 1st set (16-12). Trailing 12-11, back-to-back kills from Pavlyuk and Martel flipped the lead, and then a couple USM errors sandwiched a block by Pavlyuk and Martel. The Nor'easters made their move around the same stage in the 2nd to take a commanding advantage, and then pocketed the first four points in the 3rd and never looked back.

The match marked the first outside competition for UNE in 688 days, and was the first under head coach Ian Blanchard.

The Nor'easters will return to SJC on Saturday to face the host Monks as well as Maine Maritime Academy.