Report filed by Dylan Thomas, DeanBulldogs.com Correspondent

THE BASICS 
Score:  Dean College 3, Massachusetts Maritime 2 (25-15, 20-25, 20-25, 25-9, 15-12) 
Records: Dean College (3-4), Massachusetts Maritime (0-3) 
Location: Clean Harbors Athletic Center, Bourne, Mass. 
Date: Thursday, September 13, 2018 
Time: 7:00 p.m.  

THE LEAD:  
In a back-and-forth affair that saw Dean fall behind after winning the first set, the visiting Bulldogs rallied to take the final two sets and escape with a 3-2 win over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in non-league women's volleyball action on Thursday evening.  

HOW IT HAPPENED: 
Dean started off strong in a dominant first set that resulted in a 25-15 triumph, as Miranda Marquez (San Pedro, Calif.) was incredibly efficient, recording a trio of kills in the frame.

The Bulldogs looked to be on their way to a second set victory after racing out to a 7-1 lead following a kill from Melanie Rios-Nevarez (Alta Vega, Puerto Rico). Dean was still in front 14-11 when the Buccaneers ran off five straight points to take their first lead of the match. That would be a lead they would never relinquish, blowing by the Bulldogs on their way to a 25-20 victory.

In the third, the set was tied at 14-14 when Massachusetts Maritime stepped on the gas, scoring 11 of the next 17 points to jump in front, 2-1.

Dean seemed to snap out of their slumber in the fourth frame, turning a 7-4 lead after a Kait Anderson (Clinton, Conn.) kill into a 13-8 advantage. The Bulldogs would go on to score nine unanswered points to take a commanding 23-8 edge on their way to a 25-9 triumph, setting up a fifth and deciding set.

The visitors looked to be on their way to an easy fifth set win after sprinting out to an 8-3 lead after another Anderson hammer, but the Buccaneers rallied and scored six straight points to jump in front, 9-8, forcing a Dean timeout.

Tied at 10-10, the Bulldogs took advantage of some Massachusetts Maritime miscues to go in front 14-11 and then Nicole Defosses (Colorado Springs, Colo.) closed it out with her fourth kill of the match. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:  
Rios-Nevarez led Dean with 11 kills and 15 digs, while Marquez added eight kills of her own. Defosses had another excellent all-around contest, totaling 18 digs and a career-high 32 assists.

Meanwhile the duo of Samantha Trullo (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Paola Gonzalez (Southbridge, Mass.) racked up a combined 45 digs.

UP NEXT: 
Dean will travel to Regis College on Saturday for a tri-match with the host Pride and Curry College. Action begins at 11:00 AM.