Volleyball Eliminated in NECC Semis

QUINCY, Mass. -- The second-seeded Eastern Nazarene College women's volleyball team topped third-seeded Mitchell College, 3-0, Thursday evening in the semifinals of the 2021 NECC Champioship at the Lahue Athletic Center. 

The Lions climbed to 16-10 on the season and advance to their third-consecutive NECC title game with the win. The Mariners concluded the fall season with a 6-16 overall record. 

Eliana Baran posted a match-high 18 kills while adding five digs, and Emma Graves added 12 kills and four blocks on the night. Ruth Aguilar dished out 37 assists and Amya Altman paced the squad with 18 digs to along with a pair of service aces. 

Olivia DeLoach, who was named to the NECC all-conference team earlier in the day, registered a team-high 10 kills and chipped in seven digs to lead the visitors. Claire Binfield chalked up 25 assists while Stephanie Costabile contributed 12 digs in the final match of her collegiate career. 

The home side cruised to a 25-10 win in the first frame to take a 1-0 advantage. The next two sets were much closer affairs, with Eastern Nazarene slipping by 25-22 in the second and 25-23 in the third to cement its third-straight victory.