Volleyball Goes the Distance Before Falling at NEC

HENNIKER, N.H.— The MCLA Volleyball team looked to build off their first victory of the season in their last outing against Norwich University when they traveled to New England College for a non-conference matchup with the Pilgrims at Bridges Gym. In a grueling five-set affair, the Pilgrims defended their home floor, taking the evening 3-2.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024

• Score: MCLA 2, NEC 3
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 1-8 (MASCAC 0-0) | New England College Pilgrims 3-5 (GNAC 0-0)
• Series History: NEC leads the all-time series 4-2, including a 3-1 win by MCLA on September 19, 2023. The teams first met on September 19, 2018 when NEC won 3-1 at NEC.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The 25-23 score of the first set doesn't tell the whole story. While NEC took the set, the Trailblazers finished the set with momentum. The Pilgrims stormed out to an early 6-0 lead before expanding the lead to 16-6 on a block by Tatiana Sampson and Jamie Hansen. From that point forward, the Trailblazers outscored the hosts 17-9, even tying the game at 22 at one point.
• Having pushed back against the hosts, MCLA took the following two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-20. The comeback would fall short, though, with the Pilgrims taking sets four and five by scores of 25-19 and 17-15.
• The Trailblazers' Elizabeth Brown (Lee, MA) led all players with 14 kills, just one more than Chloie Garber (Eagle River, AK). Garber paired that with a team-highs in digs (18), service aces (3), and blocks (5, all solo) and accounted for a game-high 21 points. Junior outside hitter Audrey Melson (Champlin Park, MN) rounded out the trio of Trailblazers with double-digit kills, with 10.
• First-year setter Addison Decaro (Eagle River, AK) and junior setter Shannon O'Brien (Unionville, CT) cracked the 20-assist barrier. Decaro had a game-high 23, and O'Brien finished with 20.
• NEC also had a trio of double-digit killers. Sampson and Samantha Winters led the hosts with 12 each, one more than Lily-Anne Heywood's 11.

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when they to SUNY Delhi for a non-conference tri-match with the Broncos and the Paul Smith's College Bobcats. The Trailblazers' first match is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start.