BIDDEFORD, Maine -- University of New England senior tri-captain Angie Brunette (North Andover, Mass.) recorded match highs with 16 kills and eight total blocks to lead the Nor'easters to a 3-1 non-conference women's volleyball victory over Saint Joseph's College of Maine Monday evening (Sept. 16) at the Harold Alfond Forum.
Set scores were 25-15, 23-25, 25-14, 28-26.
The victory gets the Nor'easters back over the .500 mark at 5-4, while St. Joe's drops to 7-2. UNE has now won the last 26 meetings between the two squads.
Brunette's eight total blocks were one shy of her career high, which came in a five-set match versus Rivier College in 2012. In addition to her 16 kills and block total, she added a service ace to account for 23 points won.
Junior Rachel McGahie (Westmoreland, N.H.) played a strong all-around match for UNE, totaling a career-best 14 kills to go with 15 digs. First-year Grayson Szczepaniak (Lakewood, Ohio) had 12 kills, and senior setter Maria Kuehl (Middleton, N.H.) dished out 39 assists and registered 13 digs. First-year Nikki Mathewson (Merrimack, N.H.) served up a match-best three aces.
For the Monks, sophomore Felicia Wachowiak (Milton, N.H.) led the way with 14 kills and six total blocks. First-year Victoria Huntley (Ellsworth, Maine) contributed 10 kills and 13 digs. Rookie setter Mariah Hebert (Biddeford, Maine) had 27 assists.
Defensively, UNE was led by senior Kirsta Adie (Tyngsboro, Mass.), who had 16 digs, while senior Erica Russi (Debary, Fla.) and first-year Shadai Gosselin (Somersworth, N.H.) paced St. Joe's with 14 apiece.
Brunette got the Nor'easters off to a strong start, ringing up six kills as UNE breezed in the opener, 25-15.
Leading 19-10 in the second frame, St. Joe's would have to hold off a furious charge by Big Blue to square the match. UNE tied the match at 23 before the Monks took the next two points to make the score 1-1.
In the third set, Brunette and McGahie combined for eight kills as the Nor'easters cruised, 25-14.
The hosts closed the match after falling behind (6-1) early in the fourth. UNE chipped away at its deficit, pulling to within one at 21-20. After St. Joe's won the next two points to push its lead to three (23-20), the two teams traded the next two points to get the Monks within point of forcing a fifth and deciding set.
A St. Joe's attack error got UNE within two (24-22), then Szczepaniak had back-to-back kills to knot the set at 24. The squads would swap the next four points before the Nor'easters capitalized on a SJC block error and attack error to end the match.
The Nor'easters are back in action Wednesday (Sept. 18) when they head to Waterville to take on Colby College in a non-conference match beginning at 6:30 p.m.
St. Joe's travels to Lesley University for an 8 p.m. start Thursday (Sept. 19).
COURTESY OF UNE SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
