UNE Downs Volleyball in Straight Sets

BIDDEFORD, Maine – Suffolk volleyball wrapped up its five-match road trip with a 3-0 setback to Commonwealth Coast Conference counterpart University of New England Wednesday at Harold Alfond Forum.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 0 | University of New England 3
RECORDS: Suffolk (15-12, 4-3 CCC) | University of New England (13-8, 2-5 CCC)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
Suffolk climbed out of an 11-6 hole, tied the playing field at 12-all, before grabbing the lead on a Jessica Weber kill. UNE used a Rams' attack error to even things at 13 before scoring four more in a row to force the blue-and-gold into a timeout. Out of the huddle, Suffolk was unable to mount a comeback and fell in the opening set, 25-18.  

Roles reversed in the second stanza and Suffolk sat in front, 15-9. The Nor'Easters put together an 8-1 run to flip the script in their favor, 17-16. Things leveled three times from there before UNE closed the set on a 6-2 stretch. 

With things locked at 10, Suffolk outscored UNE, 5-1, to take a 15-11 advantage. The Nor'Easters knocked down the deficit with a 5-1 spurt of its own to equalize matters at 16. Like the second, the score would go on to tie three more times before the host closed the set and match on a 6-3 run.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Jasmine James led Suffolk's attack with seven kills. Defensively she added one block and one dig. 
• Weber notched six kills, six aces, two blocks and two digs. 
• Sami Shore recorded six kills, four blocks and one dig.
• Makenna Keowen registered five kills, six digs, three blocks and one assist. 
• Jayla Martinez tallied 19 assists and four digs. 
• Morgan Kelsey pitched in 12 digs and one helper.  

NOTEWORTHY

• The match between Suffolk and UNE was determined in sweeping fashion for the fourth time. 
• The Rams are 1-3 in straight set decisions against UNE. 
• At UNE, Suffolk oved to 1-1. 
• The Rams dipped to 2-2 against the Nor'Easters in Scott Blanchard's era. 
• Weber served a career-high six aces. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk concludes the regular-season Saturday, Nov. 4 against Wentworth at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court.