CONCORD, N.H. - NHTI Volleyball remained unbeaten Thursday evening, earning its third consecutive straight-set victory with a 3-0 win over Southern Maine Community College in the Lynx's 2026 home and Yankee Small College Conference opener at the Dr. Goldie Crocker Wellness Center.
NHTI took the match by set scores of 25-16, 25-20, and 25-21 to improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in YSCC play. The Lynx have yet to drop a set through their first three matches of the season.
NHTI established control midway through the opening set. Kills from Emma Kowalski (Salem, N.H.) and Esther de Souza Quina (Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil), followed by a Kowalski service ace, helped the Lynx build an 8-4 advantage before extending the lead to 11-6 and forcing a Southern Maine timeout.
The Seawolves stayed within reach, but the Lynx continued to create separation behind their defense at the net. Kowalski kept a rally alive with a diving save as NHTI pushed its lead to 15-11 before sophomore captain Brooke Kelly (Nottingham, N.H.) delivered a pair of blocks to help extend the advantage to 19-13. Ashlynn Williams (Greenfield, N.H.) then added a kill following a Kelly dig and de Souza Quina set. NHTI eventually stretched the lead to 23-13 before Southern Maine answered with three straight points. Williams ended the run with a kill, and the Lynx closed the set on the following point for a 25-16 victory.
Southern Maine grabbed a 3-1 lead to begin the second set before NHTI responded quickly. Kelly delivered a kill before Kowalski and Williams combined for a block to even the score at 3-3. A Kelly service ace then gave the Lynx their first lead of the set.
After back-and-forth play early, a Kowalski kill and Haven Schwartz (Buxton, N.C.) service ace helped NHTI turn a 7-6 advantage into an 8-3 run and a 15-9 lead. Southern Maine later cut the deficit to 21-19, but Kowalski stopped the rally with a kill. Kelly followed with another kill before Kowalski put NHTI on set point, and the Lynx finished the frame, 25-20, to take a 2-0 match lead.
The third set proved to be the closest of the night. Neither side was able to create separation early, with the teams playing through ties at 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Southern Maine eventually put together a three-point run to take a 17-14 advantage.
Kelly sparked the Lynx response with consecutive kills to pull NHTI within 17-16. The Seawolves briefly rebuilt their lead to 19-16, but a Schwartz and Kelly block began a late NHTI surge. A Southern Maine attack error and another Kelly kill tied the set at 19 before Kelly delivered a service ace to give the Lynx their first lead since 11-10.
NHTI continued the run out of a Southern Maine timeout, with Kelly serving another ace to extend the advantage to 22-19. Schwartz later put the Lynx on match point with a kill before Williams and de Souza Quina combined for the match-ending block, securing the third set, 25-21.
NHTI closed the final set by scoring nine of the final 11 points after trailing 19-16, completing its third sweep in as many matches to begin the season.
Thursday's victory marks the first time the Lynx have opened a season 3-0 since 2017, when NHTI went on to win the YSCC Championship.
UP NEXT
The Lynx return to action on Saturday, September 12 when they travel to Boston for an 11 a.m. meeting with Bunker Hill Community College.
