CONCORD, N.H. – NHTI Volleyball closed YSCC Volleyball Crossover Weekend with a back-and-forth five-set loss to Word of Life on Sunday evening, falling 3-2 (7-25, 25-15, 25-27, 25-21, 10-15) at the Dr. Goldie Crocker Wellness Center.
The Lynx moved to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in Yankee Small College Conference play, finishing the four-match crossover weekend with a 3-1 record. NHTI entered the match having won its first eight contests of the season, matching the 2012 team's 8-0 opening for the best start in the program's available records dating back to 2011.
Despite the loss, NHTI exits the weekend tied with Central Maine Community College at 5-1 for the best conference record across the YSCC, setting up a meeting between the two teams Wednesday in Concord. The Lynx's 8-1 overall record leads the pack by half a game over CMCC and Southern Maine Community College.
NHTI served as the designated home team in Sunday's neutral-site matchup as part of the crossover format.
Set One: Word of Life 25, NHTI 7
Word of Life seized control immediately, scoring the first six points of the match and forcing an early NHTI timeout.
The Huskies added the first point out of the break before NHTI got on the board, but Word of Life responded with seven consecutive points to stretch its advantage to 14-1.
NHTI attempted to cut into Word of Life's lead behind kills from Haven Schwartz (Buxton, N.C.), Brooke Hurlbert (Franklin, N.H.) and Ashlynn Williams (Greenfield, N.H.) in the middle stages of the set, but the Lynx were unable to overcome the early deficit.
After the Huskies extended their lead to 24-5 with three consecutive points, sophomore captain Brooke Kelly (Nottingham, N.H.) kept the set alive with a kill. A Word of Life attack error followed to make it 24-7 before the Huskies closed the opening frame with a kill for a 25-7 victory.
Set Two: NHTI 25, Word of Life 15
The response from NHTI was immediate.
Kelly opened the second set with three kills during a 5-0 Lynx run, and Emma Kowalski (Salem, N.H.) followed with a kill before Hurlbert added another as NHTI raced ahead 8-1 and forced a Word of Life timeout.
Kowalski struck again immediately after the break to make it 9-1, while Kelly and Schwartz added kills as the Lynx extended the advantage to 11-2.
Word of Life began cutting into the deficit, using a 3-0 run to make it 13-7 and later closing within four at 14-10.
NHTI answered with another surge.
Schwartz opened a 4-0 run with a kill before Hurlbert's erve forced an errant Word of Life return for another point. Schwartz added another kill, and a Word of Life attack error pushed the lead to 19-11.
Esther de Souza Quina (Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil) later put down a kill for a 21-13 advantage, Williams made it 22-14, and a Kowalski service ace moved the Lynx within two points of taking the set.
After NHTI reached set point, Word of Life managed to extend the frame, but Williams finished it with a kill to give NHTI the 25-15 victory and even the match at one set apiece.
Set Three: Word of Life 27, NHTI 25
The third set developed into the longest and most dramatic frame of the match.
De Souza Quina opened the set with consecutive service aces before Kelly added a kill to give NHTI an early 3-1 lead.
Word of Life then completely flipped the momentum, scoring 11 consecutive points and turning the 3-1 deficit into a 12-3 advantage and forcing NHTI to use both of its timeouts during the run.
Kelly finally stopped the stretch with a solo block, and Kowalski followed with consecutive kills as the Lynx began working their way back. Another Kowalski kill followed by a Williams kill cut the deficit to 13-8.
NHTI continued its push with an attack error by Word of Life and a de Souza Quina solo block, eventually pulling within 13-11 following a five-point run.
The Huskies rebuilt their advantage, however, eventually moving ahead 20-14. NHTI continued answering individual Word of Life points but was unable to string together another major run until the closing stages.
Kelly brought the Lynx within five at 23-18 and added another kill to make it 23-19 before Williams put down a kill to complete a 3-0 run and cut the deficit to 23-20.
Word of Life reached set point at 24-20, but NHTI refused to let the frame end.
A Word of Life misplay made it 24-21 before Williams delivered a service ace. Kelly and de Souza Quina then combined for a block to bring the Lynx within one at 24-23, forcing a Word of Life timeout.
Williams returned to the service line following the break and delivered another ace, completing the four-point comeback and tying the set at 24-24.
Word of Life regained set point at 25-24, but an attack error evened the frame once again at 25-25.
The Huskies ultimately won the final two points, taking a 26-25 lead on a close attack ruled in along the back line before another attack landed just inside the boundary line to end the set, 27-25.
Set Four: NHTI 25, Word of Life 21
Facing a 2-1 match deficit, NHTI grabbed an early advantage in the fourth.
A Word of Life attack error opened the scoring before Kelly and Schwartz combined for a block that helped the Lynx move ahead 3-1. NHTI later stretched the lead to 6-2 and took a 9-5 advantage following another Word of Life attack error.
The Huskies answered with consecutive kills to pull within 9-8, but Kelly responded with a kill and another Word of Life attack error restored NHTI's three-point cushion.
Word of Life eventually erased the deficit altogether. After NHTI held a 12-9 advantage, the Huskies scored four consecutive points to take a 13-12 lead and force an NHTI timeout.
Kelly immediately answered after the break with a kill to tie the set at 13-13 which began a stretch of repeated ties and one-point leads.
A lengthy rally with players from both teams scrambling across the floor ended with a de Souza Quina kill for a 14-13 NHTI advantage. Word of Life tied it at 14 before de Souza Quina struck again. The Huskies answered once more at 15-15.
Kowalski broke that tie with a well-placed kill into the middle of the Word of Life defense, sparking a run where the Lynx finally created some separation.
A Word of Life attack error made it 17-15, de Souza Quina set Williams for a kill to extend the margin to three, and Kelly followed with a service ace for a 19-15 advantage that forced a Huskies timeout.
NHTI maintained its lead through the rest of the set. Williams and de Souza Quina combined for a block to make it 22-17 before another Word of Life attack error moved the Lynx within two points of forcing a fifth set.
Word of Life cut the margin to 23-21, but another attack error brought NHTI to set point.
Kelly finished the frame with a solo block, securing the 25-21 win and sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
Set Five: Word of Life 15, NHTI 10
Word of Life once again built a sizable early advantage in the deciding set.
The Huskies scored the first two points before Kelly and de Souza Quina combined for a block to make it 2-1.
Word of Life answered with four consecutive points, however, opening a 6-1 lead and forcing an NHTI timeout. A service ace immediately out of the break extended the Huskies' run and made it 7-1.
The Lynx responded.
Kelly stopped the run with a kill before Hurlbert delivered a service ace and Kowalski followed with a kill, completing a 3-0 NHTI run that cut the deficit to 7-4.
After Word of Life made it 8-4, a service error and another Huskies kill moved the score to 9-5.
Kowalski continued trying to pull NHTI back into the set, recording a kill followed by a service ace to cut the margin to 9-7.
NHTI remained within striking distance as a Word of Life misplay made it 10-8. Hurlbert later added a kill for an 11-9 score, and Kowalski brought the Lynx within two once again at 12-10.
Word of Life closed from there, scoring the final three points to take the deciding set 15-10 and the match 3-2.
The loss ended NHTI's eight-match winning streak to open the 2026 season, but the Lynx completed YSCC Crossover Weekend 3-1, earning victories over Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Vermont State University Randolph and Paul Smith's College before Sunday's five-set finale.
NHTI now sits at 8-1 overall and 5-1 in YSCC play, tied with Central Maine Community College for the best conference record in the league.
UP NEXT
The Lynx will host Central Maine on Wednesday, with both teams entering the matchup at 5-1 in conference play. NHTI has won the last two meetings in the series, including a five-set victory in the opening round of the YSCC playoffs on Oct. 21, 2025, in Auburn.
All three meetings between the Lynx and Mustangs last season went five sets. Watch Wednesday's match live on YSCCSportsNetwork.com.
