Box Score
Digital Media Guide

STORRS, Conn. – The Northeastern volleyball team could not stop a red-hot Panthers' squad on Saturday afternoon as the Huskies dropped straight sets, 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-15), on day two of the UConn Invitational.

Senior Kelly Bacon and junior Hanna Gibeau led Northeastern offensively, each with a seven-kill effort. Middle blocker Nichole Kurz contributed three of the team's total bocks along side a trio of kills.

Libero Natalia Skiba anchored the team's defense, accumulating 20 digs during Saturday's contest and tallying a service ace and an assist.

Mechael Guess and Kate Yeazel commanded the Panthers' attack, recording 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Setter Jenna Jacobson notched a match-high three aces along with 21 assists and 10 digs.

A Pittsburgh error put the Huskies on the board to start the first set, but consecutive blocks to stop NU's offense set the Panthers ahead right out of the chute, 2-1.

The teams battled it out in the early goings of the frame, both showcasing a strong offensive force, but a Bacon kill gave the Huskies a 11-9 lead prompting Pitt to call for its first timeout.

The Huskies and Panthers fought neck-and-neck until the 16 mark when Pittsburgh broke away and never looked back. Pitt held Northeastern to just two points in the final stretch and closed out the set, 25-18 after landing a pair of aces and kill.

Bredahl landed the first kill of the set, but it wasn't enough stop Pitt from taking a 7-3 start.  The Huskies' closed the gap to within four, 10-6, after Armstrong planted an attack from the outside, but Pitt extended its lead to 10 after landing four kills in six exchanges. Head coach Ken Nichols called for a time out trailing 18-8, but it wasn't enough to overrun the Panther's cushion.

A block from Fry and Kurz followed by a Hollis ace forced an error on Pittsburgh, invading the spread to within eight at the 19-11 mark. Northeastern's effort fell short and the Panthers landed two kills to take the second frame, 25-16.

Neither team budged in the early goings of the third frame as kills alternated from both sides court drawing an early 5-5 tie. Two Pitt aces bookending a pair of kills ended the duel and gave the Panthers a four-point advantage.

Pitt went on an 8-3 run to extend its lead, 17-1, and held Northeastern to just five points for the remainder of the set. Kurz and Giebau kept the Huskies alive with a block, but it could not stop the Panthers' from landing two kills to take the third-set victory, 25-15.

The Huskies close out the UConn Invitational later this evening against Albany, starting at approximately 5 p.m.