CONCORD, N.H. – NHTI Volleyball will begin its 2026 postseason Wednesday evening, traveling to Central Maine Community College for a Yankee Small College Conference quarterfinal matchup at 6 p.m. inside the CMCC Kirk Hall Gymnasium.
The Lynx enter the postseason with a 12-4 overall record and an 8-4 mark in YSCC play, finishing third in the conference's East Division standings under third-year head coach Toni Bailon (Manchester, N.H.).
Wednesday's matchup marks a rematch of the 2025 YSCC quarterfinals, when NHTI traveled to Auburn on Oct. 21 and defeated Central Maine in five sets to advance to the conference Final Four. The Lynx went on to reach the YSCC Championship, ultimately falling to Southern Maine Community College.
Exactly one year later, NHTI returns to the same location with an opportunity to advance to the YSCC Final Four for the third consecutive season.
Central Maine took both regular-season meetings between the teams in 2026, earning a three-set victory in Concord on Sept. 23 before returning to the Dr. Goldie Crocker Wellness Center on Oct. 4 for a four-set win during NHTI Homecoming Weekend.
The second meeting featured four closely contested sets, all decided by four points or fewer. Central Maine claimed the opening set 27-25 before NHTI answered with a 25-23 victory in the second. The Mustangs responded with 25-22 and 25-21 wins to secure the match.
Brooke Kelly (Nottingham, N.H.) led the Lynx with 18 kills and 25 digs in the Oct. 4 matchup, while Brooke Hurlbert (Franklin, N.H.) recorded 32 digs. Esther de Souza Quina (Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil) finished with 29 assists and five service aces.
Kelly also played a role in last year's quarterfinal victory over the Mustangs, recording 10 kills and two blocks as NHTI earned a 3-2 victory (25-22, 15-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-10).
NHTI enters Wednesday's contest having won its final regular-season matchup, sweeping Great Bay Community College on Oct. 14 in Portsmouth.
The Lynx opened the season with eight consecutive victories and finished with 11 straight-set wins, including a three-set victory over YSCC East regular-season champion Southern Maine on Sept. 10.
Kelly leads NHTI with 174 kills, averaging a conference-best 3.55 kills per set, while also recording a YSCC-leading 31 total blocks. The sophomore captain earned two YSCC Player of the Week selections, Weeks 2 and 5, and USCAA Division II Player of the Week honors for her play in Week 5.
De Souza Quina has distributed a team-high 328 assists and leads the conference with 47 service aces. The first-year setter earned both YSCC Player of the Week and USCAA Division II Specialist of the Week honors during Week 3.
Defensively, NHTI enters the postseason having led the YSCC with 937 digs and 65 total blocks. Five Lynx finished among the conference's top 12 players in digs, led by Kelly with 173, Hurlbert with 169, and Haven Schwartz (Buxton, N.C.) with 168.
The winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal will advance to the YSCC Final Four, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25. Each Final Four match will be hosted by Southern Maine Community College.
Wednesday's match is scheduled for 6 p.m. at CMCC Kirk Hall Gymnasium in Auburn, Maine. The contest will be available to watch live through CMCC Athletics' YouTube channel.
