Mariners Fall in NAC Championship

NEW LONDON, N.H. – Maine Maritime Academy volleyball fell to Colby-Sawyer College in the North Atlantic Conference Championship on Saturday morning, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22 and 25-9).

In their ninth-straight NAC Championship final appearance Maine Maritime (18-13) began the match with an 8-1 run forcing a Colby-Sawyer (12-24) timeout. The Chargers chipped away at the deficit and eventually tied the score at 18-18 after a kill from senior Kelsey McCulley. The Mariners scored the next two points on a kill from freshman Melissa Spaulding (Fairbanks, Alaska) and an ace from freshman Tess Clark (Spring, Texas). Colby-Sawyer tied the match once again at 22-22 after a kill from senior Kelsey Sullivan and scored the next three points to take the first set, 25-22.

The Mariners came out strong taking a 4-1 lead in the second set, capped by a Clark kill. With the score tied at 7-7, Colby-Sawyer went on a 5-2 run to take a 12-9 lead. The Mariners pulled within two at 14-12 after another Clark kill and again at 24-22 with Clark's ninth kill of the set, but the Chargers put the set away on a McCulley kill, 25-22.

The Chargers jumped out to a 5-1 advantage in the third set and never looked back and winning the set, 25-9 and the match.

NAC Rookie of the Year Clark led Maine Maritime with 14 kills and 12 digs and earning a spot on the All-Tournament team. Spaulding also was named All-Tournament after collecting a match-high 28 assists, three digs and two kills. NAC Player of the Year Gillian O'Neal (Burbank, Calif.) finished with six kills and nine digs.

Gabrielle Rodriguez earned MVP honors after a match-best 15 kills to lead the Chargers, while adding three blocks and three aces. Kelsey Sullivan had eight kills and eight digs, while Kelsey McCulley hit an impressive .467 for nine kills. Both Kelsey's were named to the All-Tournament team. Senior Laura Smolinski had a double-double of 19 assists and 12 digs. With the victory, the Chargers will make a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

All-Tournament Team
Lyndon – Laura Drake
Castleton – Brittany Brayman
Maine Maritime – Tess Clark
Maine Maritime – Melissa Spaulding
Colby-Sawyer – Kelsey McCulley
Colby-Sawyer – Kelsey Sullivan
Colby-Sawyer – Gabrielle Rodriguez - MVP