Pride Suffers First NECC Loss, Falls To Newbury In Five

WESTON, Mass. – Katryna Veasey (Quincy, Mass.) had 14 kills and 13 assists and Crystina Lathrop (Houston, Texas) added 18 digs but it wasn't enough to prevent a Newbury comeback as the Nighthawks rallied from two sets down to beat the Pride Tuesday night at Higgins Court. Set scores were 19-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-22, 15-9.

Stephanie Carter (Jupiter, Fla.) added 14 kills and hit at a sizzling .458 clip to go along with nine digs. The Pride played five sets for the first time this season and are now even in the loss column with Daniel Webster, Newbury and Lesley at the top of the New England Collegiate Conference table.

Courtney Banks (Corona, Calif.) had a match-high 19 kills with 11 digs and Lindsay Clark (Venice, Fla.) added 19 digs, also a match high. The Nighthawks (8-8, 4-1 NECC) had five players record double figures in kills.

Regis (10-13, 4-1 NECC) looked prime for a sweep after two first set wins. After dropping set three the Pride was in the driver's seat with a 14-8 set four lead but saw it slip away as the match went to a deciding set five. Regis started behind the eight ball in the final frame as Newbury was awarded two penalty points at the start. Veasey and Kayla Nystedt (Onamia, Minn.) helped keep the margin at two points with block assists to put the score at 9-7, but back-to-back aces from Clark put the Nighthawks up 13-7.

Set one saw Regis trail by as many as five points before a 5-0 run put the Pride ahead 16-13 and forced a Newbury timeout. The Nighthawks remained in the picture on consecutive kills from Banks, but another five-point Regis spurt helped seal the win.

The Pride led throughout in set two. Rachel Bartels (Edinburg, Texas) put her team up five with a kill and Veasey extended the lead to 21-10 on back-to-back kills. The Nighthawks mounted a modest rally but another Veasey kill helped the Pride to another win and a 2-0 lead.

After what seemed to be just a third-set hiccup, the Pride looked prime to win in four when block assists from Bartels and Sydney Trusty (Durham, Conn.) put them up 14-8. Newbury rallied to tie the set at 16-16. Nystedt, who came alive in the late frames of the match, had three straight kills to regain the lead but down the stretch it was Newbury that pulled away to send the match to a deciding set.

Gabby Adalco (Springdale, Ark.) had eight kills and 15 digs and setter Marlen Reynoso (Springdale, Ark.) added 33 assists and 12 digs for Newbury who next face Bay Path this Saturday, Oct. 22 at 11:00 a.m. Regis visits Amherst College on Thursday for a 6:00 p.m. match.

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