DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Third-seeded Plymouth State University upset top-seeded and two-time defending champion University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to claim the 2025 Little East Conference (LEC) Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament title, and with it the LEC’s automatic berth in the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
 
This marks the Panthers first LEC tournament title win since 2004. Plymouth State has played for the LEC tournament championship against UMass Dartmouth each of the last three seasons, and has been in the tournament final in five of the last six seasons.
 
PSU graduate setter Ella Koelb was named the 2025 LEC Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She totaled nine kills with a match-high 36 assists and six digs in the win over the Corsairs Saturday night. For the week, Koelb led the team with 43 kills (3.91 per set) and 67 assists (6.09 per set), while also notching 25 digs (2.27 per set). 
  
The Panthers (23-7) had a balanced attack Saturday night. Freshman outside hitter Sya McKay led the team with a match-best 15 kills while hitting .370, while junior right side/middle hitter Annalyn Cahill notched 13 kills while hitting .235 and sophomore middle hitter Sydney Riley totaled 12 kills while hitting .455. senior defensive specialist Veronika Castro Rodriguez had a match-best 25 digs.
 
UMass Dartmouth (21-8) was led by junior outside hitter Allison Pate, who had team-best totals of 12 kills and 19 digs. Sophomore opposite Olivia Seutter also had 12 kills for the Corsairs, while hitting .385. junior setter Skye Peters handed out 29 assists to go with nine digs.
 
The Panthers hit .326 or better in each of their three set wins on the night, and hit .264 for the match while outscoring the Corsairs, 74-53. They hit .395 in a 25-22 set-one win before hitting .355 in their 25-10 set-two victory. They closed out the contest hitting .326 in the 25-17 fourth-set triumph.