Women's Volleyball Advances To First-Ever NAC Tournament Semifinal
NO. 3 ELMS COLLEGE SWEEPS NO. 6
MAINE-FARMINGTON
IN NAC TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL
CHICOPEE, MA, Oct. 31, 2007 - Elms College junior outside hitter Jeannette Nunez (Canovanas, Puerto Rico) knocked down a team-high 11 kills and sophomore setter Kim Phillips (Randolph, MA) handed out 23 assists to help pace the No. 3 Blazers to a 3-0 (30-26, 30-24, 31-29) win over No. 6 University of Maine-Farmington in the quarterfinal round of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Women's Volleyball Tournament at the Maguire Center.
The Blazers (11-12), who were hosting their first conference tournament home match in the program's six-year history, now advance to their first-ever NAC Tournament semifinal to face No. 2 Husson on Saturday, November 3. Husson advanced via its 3-0 over No. 7 Bay Path.
The semifinals and finals will be played at No. 1 Maine Maritime, which advanced to Saturday's other semifinal following its 3-0 sweep over No. 8 Castleton.
Maine-Farmington, which lost its second match to Elms College in 11 days, was eliminated from the tournament and finished its season 10-14.
The Blazers roared out to a 7-0 lead against the Beavers in game one behind a combined three kills from sophomore opposite Amanda Konsewicz (Westfield, MA) and senior outside hitter Kristen Havey (Methuen, MA).
The Beavers answered with a 22-16 run to pull to within 23-22, but Nunez came up big with two kills and two aces over the final seven points to lift the Blazers to victory in game one.
In game two, sophomore middle hitter Melissa Clark
(Chicopee, MA) added three kills, four aces and eight
digs, and the Blazers capitalized on seven service errors by the
Beavers en route to a 30-24 win.
Elms College then cruised out to a 29-24 lead and appeared poised for the easy sweep, but Maine-Farmington battled back with a 5-0 run to knot the game at 29-29.
Following a Maine-Farmington attack error, Nunez then added her final kill of the night to seal the Blazers' victory.
The Beavers received a match-high 14 kills from senior middle hitter Meagan Dube (Lewiston, ME), while sophomore Caitlin Flaherty (Pembroke, MA) and freshman Katie Allen (Bucksport, ME) added 13 assists apiece.