PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior Shannon Thompson
(Moorpark, Calif.) smashed a match-high 15 kills and made 11 digs
Sunday afternoon to lead second-seeded University of Massachusetts
Boston to a three-game sweep (25-23, 25-21, 25-17) of top-seeded
Plymouth State University in the championship match of the Little
East Conference Volleyball Tournament at PSU's Foley Gymnasium.
The Beacons, 26-4 overall, capture their third consecutive LEC
Tournament and receive the conference's automatic berth into the
NCAA Division III Championships. UMB becomes the third school to
win three straight LEC volleyball titles, joining Western
Connecticut State University (1999-03) and Eastern Connecticut
State University (2005-07).
UMB avenged its regular-season setback to PSU less than two weeks
ago, which gave the Panthers home-court advantage for the
tournament. Plymouth State, 23-10, which was playing in the LEC
final for the second time in three years, awaits a possible NCAA or
ECAC New England Tournament berth.
Thompson, who was selected the tournament's Most Outstanding
Player, recorded a .500 hitting percentage, with 15 kills and just
three errors in 24 attempts. Sophomore Corrine Porter (Huntington
Beach, Calif.) added 13 kills, a match-high three aces and a .429
attack percentage and freshman Kirsten Morrison (North Reading,
Mass.) contributed seven kills and four blocks. Junior libero Kayla
Wilson (San Jose, Calif.) registered 10 digs, and senior setter
Cassy Hanneman (Denver, Colo.) posted 40 assists.
Junior Casey Stoodley (Salem, N.H.) and sophomore Allie Jones
(Canton, Mass.) led the PSU effort with 10 kills apiece. Senior
libero Danielle Stoodley (Salem, N.H.) recorded a team-high 11
digs, and senior Sarah Cady (Holliston, Mass.) posted 33
assists.
Plymouth State, which had registered a.405 attack percentage in
Saturday's semifinal victory over Eastern Connecticut, was limited
to a .217 percentage in the finals against the Beacons.
The first set was very close and could have gone either way. UMB
had the lead midway through, 12-8, when PSU rallied for six
straight points to go up by two points. It was tied again at 22 and
23, and UMB pulled out the set on a kill by Morrison and an ace by
Porter.
The second set was close as well, with several lead changes. The
Beacons pulled ahead 17-14, but PSU responded to tie it at 17-all.
It was tied again at 20, but UMB took five of the next six points
to win the set, 25-21.
With victory in sight, the Beacons took control of the third set
early on. It was tied at 5-5 when UMB won nine of the next 11
points to open the biggest lead of the day, 14-7. Thompson turned
it into a higher gear with several big kills down the stretch, and
Porter finished it off with a kill at 24-17.
Both teams will learn the postseason schedule when the NCAA and
ECAC Tournament fields are announced on Monday.
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