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The University of Maine volleyball team continued its winning ways this weekend, knocking off second-ranked Northeastern University Sunday afternoon, 3-1 (30-27, 24-30, 30-27, 30-22).
The Black Bears are 16-11 (9-5 in America East conference play) heading into the conference tournament next weekend where the team will face No. 1 seed and host Towson University.
“Towson has done a great job this year, and they have the record to support it,” head coach Sue Medley said. “But if we go in there with a purpose and a game plan, I think we’ll be good.”
UMaine certainly has the momentum.
After losing to Northeastern earlier in the season in Boston, the Black Bears rallied around strong fan support on Sunday to defeat the Huskies. UMaine closed out the season winning five matches in a row and eight of the final 10 matches.
Seniors Leah Voss and Adrienne Poplawski, playing in their last home match, both stepped up their efforts to lead UMaine. Voss, the America East leader in digs per game (3.31), had a match-high 20 kills and added 19 digs. Poplawski added 17 kills, 11 digs and three block assists.
“Our two seniors are getting better and better every day, and basically they just don’t want [their careers] to end,” said Medley.
“We came in here and we just didn’t let anything drop,” Poplawski added. “We had tons of heart and desire, and I knew we would. It was a great way to end my senior year at home.”
UMaine jumped out early on the Huskies in the first game, winning 30-27, setting the tone for the match. Northeastern rallied to win game two, 30-24, but the Black Bears didn’t fold and were able to win the crucial third game, 30-27. UMaine carried its momentum into game four, winning 30-22 to put the match away, much to the delight of family and friends cheering the team on.
“The fans make the game. When you have fans that are rowdy and are having fun, it makes you want to play that much harder,” Poplawski said.
First-year right-side hitter Carmen Gabriel had an outstanding defensive game, notching a match-high 21 digs. She also chipped in with 12 kills. Sophomore setter Cheryl Elliott added a match-high 53 assists as the catalyst for the Black Bear offense. Junior defensive specialist Amber Sammons posted 13 digs and three service aces.
Northeastern held a 14-7 block advantage over the Black Bears Sunday. The Huskies dropped to 21-10 on the season, 11-3 in conference matches. Junior Lindsay Wagner led Northeastern with 14 kills and 13 digs and senior Kristin Deatherage added 10 kills and 10 digs.
The Black Bears also won against the University of Albany, 3-0 (30-14, 30-20, 30-22), on Saturday.
UMaine dominated the last place Great Danes, hitting a season-high .404 for the match and holding an 11-1 block advantage.
Poplawski had 13 kills to lead the Black Bears on Saturday, committing just one attack error for a hitting percentage of .632. Voss was solid as well, posting another double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Elliott piled up 34 assists and led the team with seven block assists.
Junior Alissa Gibbs led Albany with a match-high 16 kills and freshman Fallon Hearst added 13 in the losing effort.
The Great Danes fell to 4-19 on the year, 1-12 in America East play.
The Black Bears closed out an impressive regular season, clinching the fourth playoff spot in just the third year since volleyball returned to UMaine.
“Our kids are just proud of what they are accomplishing right now. It’s a great feeling,” Medley said.
UMaine will play conference leader Towson on Saturday. If victorious, Black Bears would face the winner of the Northeastern-New Hampshire match on Sunday in the America East Conference title match.
Bangor Daily News