BOSTON, Mass. — Senior middle hitter Eliza Badeau smashed a match-high 18 kills on a scorching .680 hitting percentage to lead the second-seeded Plymouth State University women's volleyball team over number three seed Western Connecticut State University, 25-22, 25-20, 27-25, in the Little East Conference tournament semifinals tonight at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of tournament host University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Panthers, who are ranked 12th in the latest NCAA Division III New England Women's Volleyball Association poll, improve to 30-4 to set a school record for victories in a season, topping the old mark of 29 set in 2003, while the Colonials, who are ranked 15th in the NEWVA poll, fall to 26-8 on the season. The Panthers will play for the LEC championship tomorrow at noon at the Clark Athletic Center vs. number one seed UMass Boston.

The first set was separated by no more than two points through the first 30 points scored as the teams stood deadlocked at 15-15, before Plymouth State scored five unanswered points on the service of sophomore outside hitter Meghan Sullivan to take a 20-15 margin. Western Connecticut responded with four points on junior setter Sammie Hathaway's serve to pull to within 20-19. The teams went back and forth as the Colonials maintained the one-point deficit, trailing 23-22, before the Panthers scored the final two points of the opening set.

Plymouth State opened up an 18-8 advantage in set two, but Western Connecticut scored five straight times on junior outside hitter Danielle Spangler's service to cut the deficit to 18-13. Plymouth State stopped the run to take a 19-13 lead, but the Colonials reeled off five more points with senior defensive specialist Chrissy Bell behind the service line to come to within 19-18. It would be as close as they would get as the Panthers scored six of the next eight points to take the set and a 2-0 match lead.

The teams exchanged sideouts for the first 10 points of set number three and remained within three points of each other the entire frame. The Panthers owned a 14-11 lead, but Western Connecticut used Hathaway's service to score five straight points for a 16-14 margin. The Colonials maintained an 18-15 lead until Plymouth State ripped off four straight points on senior setter Brianna Kleckner's serve to take a 19-18 edge. The teams traded leads and Western Connecticut took a 23-21 lead, but the Panthers scored three times to serve for match point at 24-23, only to see the Colonials deny them. Western Connecticut State also served for the match at 25-24, but Plymouth held it off and scored the final three points on Sullivan's serve to win the match.

Badeau committed just one attack error the entire night and added an ace, two digs and a pair of total blocks for the Panthers, while Kleckner set for a match-high 40 assists in addition to seven digs and two aces. Sullivan spiked for eight kills, served up two aces and scooped up 10 digs. Senior middle hitter Carly Newton contributed with seven kills, two block assists and a dig, while sophomore libero Alex Avery (Milton) anchored the defense with a match-high 15 digs.

Freshman middle hitter Paxton Thornton led the Western Connecticut offense with 13 kills on a .303 hitting clip, while senior middle hitter Becca Stein swung for nine kills and registered a block solo. Hathaway directed the action with 33 assists in addition to six digs, a block solo and a match-high four aces and sophomore libero Kelley Collins got down for 12 digs to lead the defense, while serving up an ace.

PSU men's hockey wins opener
MARLBORO, Mass. — Sophomore forward Bryan Kriner had two goals and an assist to lead Plymouth State University to a 5-4 come from behind win over Suffolk University in game one of the Becker College Ice Breaker Tournament at New England Sports Center.

Plymouth State (1-0) took an early 1-0 lead when Andrew Stewart connected for his first goal of the year at the 8 minute mark. Kriner and Tim Visich had the helpers on the goal.

Junior Zach Barron tallied two goals in three minutes for the Rams (0-1) to take a 2-1 lead with six minutes remaining in the first period. PSU got a late goal when Kriner put in a rebound off a JC Richard shot from the point to make the score 2-2 going into the first intermission.

Suffolk outscored Plymouth State in the second period. Niles Moore and Pat Welch each picked up their first goals of the season.

Plymouth State forward freshman Matt Aponte scored his first collegiate goal at the ten minute mark of the third period to tie the game at 4-4. Kriner picked up the game winner just three minutes later.

Plymouth State netminder Erik Shields made 24 saves for the win, Jeff Rose had 29 saves in the loss.

Plymouth State will play in the championship game against the winner of the Becker College vs. Stonehill College game tomorrow at 5:10 p.m. Suffolk will play at 2:10 p.m. tomorrow in the consolation game.

Norwich powers past PSU women's hockey
WATERVILLE VALLEY — Junior Sarah Scardino scored two goals to lead a balanced offensive attack Friday evening as Norwich University powered past Plymouth State University, 11-1, in ECAC Women's East ice hockey action at Waterville Valley Arena.

Nine other Cadets scored goals in the game, and six finished with a goal and an assist. Norwich had a commanding 67-10 advantage in shots on goal en route to improving to 2-0 on the year. It was the season opener for Plymouth State under new coach Darcy Corson.

Sophomore Melissa Rundlett, Scardino, and junior Emily Goff scored consecutive goals for Norwich less than three minutes apart early in the first period. Plymouth State settled down and kept the Cadets off the scoreboard the rest of the period.

Norwich put up four goals in the second period, as freshman Stephanie Invernizzi, sophomore Sarianne Lynn, Scardino and sophomore Amanda Wilks scattered goals throughout the stanza.

Plymouth State got on the board to start the scoring in the third period as sophomore Jaimie Camara, last year's leading scorer, found the net at 4:51, with an assist from sophomore Danielle Shea. But it was all Cadets the rest of the way, as senior Sophie Leclerc, sophomores Felicia Desorcie and Julie Fortier and junior Kelsey Cone each lit the lamp for the winners.

Sophomore Chiara Traversa made nine saves to record the victory for Norwich. PSU sophomore Nicole Provencher stopped 56 shots in her first career start.

PSU is home again Saturday afternoon at Waterville Valley, hosting Castleton State College at 2 p.m. in an ECAC East contest.