Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England lined up a season-best 15 blocks and overcame an early deficit to defeat Plymouth State University for the first time ever, 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-17), in a non-conference women's volleyball match Wednesday night (Oct. 30) at Coach Beaudry's Court inside the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Nor'easters (17-5) had come up empty in the previous 11 meetings versus PSU, dating back, sporadically, to 1997. For the Panthers, it marked just the third loss this season (21-3).

Kailyn Reilly matched a career-high with a hand in nine of UNE's blocks, and Hannah Nowell was part of a personal-best seven. The last time the Nor'easter program had more than 12 total rejections in a match was during the 2012 campaign.

Ellijah Hanley nailed a match-high 16 kills and added four service aces for the Nor'easters, whose 17 victories are UNE's most in a season since 2010 (20). Viktoria Pavlyuk knocked down 12 kills to pair with a team-best 17 digs for a double-double, and tacked on three aces. Kendall Gallaugher hit .412 in the contest, racking up nine kills.

Nowell also notched nine kills for the hosts, and helped the back line with 11 digs. The defensive effort received solid contributions of 13 digs from both Kelsey Bradshaw and Hayley Shult -- Bradshaw landed four aces and tossed up eight assists, while Shult was responsible for 38 assists in her double-double, along with one solo block.

For Plymouth State, Nora Ryan tallied 10 kills and factored in four of the team's five blocks, and Aynslee King attacked at a .562 clip to support with nine kills. Danielle Emerson and Riley McDonough combined for 34 assists. Makayla Marucci topped all players with 19 digs, and Lilli Stogner supplied 13 more.

The Panthers had the edge for most of the 1st set, though never by more than four (8-4, 16-12). UNE closed the gap to one on five occasions (17-16, 20-19, 21-20, 22-21, 23-22), but kills for Stogner and Ryley McNeeley ended the session in favor of the visitors.

The Nor'easters never trailed in the 2nd and took the lead for good at 9-8 on Gallaugher's first of five winners in the frame. Hanley had three quick points as the hosts began to extend the cushion (15-11), and UNE assembled three blocks on the way to a 23-14 advantage. PSU managed to get four back, but a kill from Gallaugher and an ace by Bradshaw made the match level on the scoreboard.

Pavlyuk registered four kills and eight digs in the 3rd, which was neck-and-neck (18-17) until UNE rattled off seven of the final nine points to move ahead in the overall.

The Nor'easters led from the opening whistle in the 4th, behind two Pavlyuk aces and the first of five team stuffs (3-0). The cushion ballooned to 8-1 and 10-2 before PSU chipped into the deficit a little, but the Panthers could never get closer than three (11-8, 13-10, 16-13). Hanley, who dialed up five kills (and no errors) over 13 swings in the stanza, logged her last winner at 21-16 and then touched down back-to-back aces to get UNE near the finish line. A rare kill by Bradshaw and a net-front denial by Gallaugher and Pavlyuk wrapped things up moments later.

UNE will be on the road for its next two dates, and the remainder of the slate is filled with key Conference of New England (CNE) duels. On Saturday, the Nor'easters (3-3 CNE) will travel to the University of Hartford (3-3) -- a showdown between two of the five institutions tied for fourth place in the league standings.