By Ari Strait
The Huskies closed out their 2002 regular season on a five game winning streak with a 3-0 sweep of the University of Maine Black Bears (9-20, 3-8) last Friday at home on Solomon Court.
It was the 10th victory in the final 11 games for the Huskies (18-14, 10-2), with the sole defeat coming at the hands of the top ranked New Hampshire Wildcats. Northeastern finished its second consecutive season as the second-seeded team, and will face Stony Brook University in the first round of the playoffs next weekend in New Hampshire.
Senior Lindsay Wagner, playing on her home court for the last time, exploded for 20 kills on 34 attempts in the three game match, and finished with a match-high hitting percentage of .529. The Husky offense was in control throughout the whole contest, as the three-pronged veteran attack of Wagner and fellow seniors Erin Spangler and Jennifer Endres combined for 35 kills, four more than the entire Black Bears team.
Head coach Ken Nichols was happy to see such offensive depth.
“It’s an interesting combination of variables. Everyone concentrates on our middle hitters, and we have other things to offer teams,” he said.
Junior Kristin Ursillo tallied 45 assists to go along with five of the team’s 11 service aces. There were a record setting five aces, as Ursillo finished with a season total of 66, breaking the 1994 mark of 62 set by Danyel Howard.
Senior Kelly Cognac dug out a match-high 16 balls. All four girls were honored in a pre-game ceremony thanking them for their four years of dedication to the volleyball program.
Maine, playing with green freshman Ashley Marble, struggled offensively, and was unable to have even one player reach double-digits in kills. Sophomore setter Carmen Gabriel tried to do all she could, tallying 26 assists and 14 digs, both team highs. Still, the Black Bears just could not stop a Husky offense that ended games two and three with a team hitting percentage over .300.
For their efforts, Wagner and Ursillo were awarded America East Player of the Week and Setter of the Week, respectively, the seventh time in the twelve-week season a Northeastern player was has been recognized.
