THE BASICS
Score: Elms College 3, Dean College 0 0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-23)
Records: Dean College (8-9 1-1 NECC), Elms College (11-7 2-0 NECC)
Location: Pieri Gymnasium, Franklin, Mass.
Date: October 7, 2017
Time: 11:00 a.m.

THE LEAD:
Elms College got the best of the Bulldogs in the opening match of Saturday's home tri-match, defeating Dean 3-0 in the Bulldog's second NECC game of the season.  Dean is now 1-1 in league play. 

Dean fell behind early in the first set, trailing 15-4 at one point.  They responded with a 7-0 rally to cut the lead to 15-11 but were unable to close the gap any further.  Elms recorded a 25-17 opening set victory. 

The Bulldogs dug themselves a similar hole in set two, falling behind 6-0 before a Kaitlyn Anderson (Clinton, Conn.) stopped the bleeding.  Dean rallied to close the lead to 12-10 and then later 22-18, but they never took the lead and eventually fell 25-19.

After falling behind again in the final set, Dean was able to rally for a lead midway through the final frame.  A kill by Paola Gonzalez (Southbridge, Mass.) gave the Bulldogs a 16-15 lead and an ace from Anderson pushed the lead to 20-16, but Elms stormed back to take the set and the match 25-23.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Aminah Tsonga (Plainville, Conn) and Samantha Trullo (Chelmsford, Mass.) both excelled on the defensive end with 17 digs each. 

Anderson led the Bulldogs with seven kills.  Tsonga added six and Gonzalez had four. 

GAME TWO 

THE BASICS
Score: Maine- Fort Kent 3, Dean College 0 0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-23)
Records: Dean College (8-10), Maine- Fort Kent  19-2)
Location: Pieri Gymnasium, Franklin, Mass.
Date: October 7, 2017
Time: 3:00 p.m.

THE LEAD:
After a tight opening set that the Bulldogs narrowly lost (25-22), the hosts faltered down the stretch, losing to Maine-Fort Kent 3-0 in Saturday's nightcap of the tri-match.

Dean led 19-17 before a six point run from the Bengals gave the visitors momentum and helped carry them to an opening set victory.  An error from Melanie Rios-Nevarez (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico) finished the game at 25-22.

The teams traded barbs throughout the opening minutes of the second stanza.  Trailing 10-9, Maine-Fort Kent took a timeout. They scored four straight points coming out of the break and never trailed again.  The set finished 25-16.

The Bengals cruised in the third set, taking a commanding 12-5 lead  and coasting to a 25-9 final score.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Nevarez's 14 assists and nine digs led the team in both categories.  Sami Mulcahy (Taunton, Mass.) added 7 digs and Tsonga and Anderson combined for 14 kills. 

UP NEXT:
The Cardinal and White return to action on Saturday when they travel to Mitchell College for a 12 p.m. NECC contest.