NEW LONDON, N.H. – The Maine Maritime Academy women's volleyball team advanced to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championship match for the fifth straight season after a 3-0 sweep over the Univ. of Maine at Farmington, on Friday evening in semifinal action. The Mariners won by scores of 25-16, 25-13, and 25-14.   

The Mariners improve to 23-4, resetting the school's mark for wins in a season, and will play at Colby-Sawyer on Saturday at noon for the NAC Championship. Maine Maritime has won each of the last four NAC Championships. Colby-Sawyer, a newcomer to the NAC, has defeated Maine Maritime in the only two meetings between the two schools, including a 3-2 win in the regular season.

Melissa Lail (Elizabeth, Colo.) led the Mariners to victory over Farmington. She recorded a match-high 14 kills on .519 hitting. Senior Chelsea Ward (Homer, Alaska) added 10 kills, four aces and seven digs. Junior setter Jennifer Dixon (Ellicott City, Md.) had a match best 33 assists and added seven digs.

The match featured 11 ties and four lead changes. The second set was the closest of the night. The Mariners led 16-13, but Ward went on a 9-0 service run to seal it.

Senior Shannon Mitchell led UMF with six kills and added seven digs. Freshman Marina Tello collected a team best 11 digs. Sophomore Jen Vadnais contributed five kills and nine digs.  UMF dropped to 14-10.

Maine Maritime def. Me.-Farmington 25-16,25-13,25-14 

Me.-Farmington (14-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Shannon Mitchell 6-1-1; Jen Vadnais 5-0-1; Jennifer Tupper 2-0-1; Shannon Brown 2-0-0; Emily Bennett 1-0-0; Bridget Flaherty 1-1-0; Jordan Hohman 1-0-0; Amanda Mullane 1-1-0; Totals 19-3-2.0. (Assists) - . (Dig leaders) – Marina Tello 11; Jen Vadnais 9; Bridget Flaherty 8

Maine Maritime (23-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Melissa Lail 14-1-1; Chelsea Ward 10-4-1; Heather Moore 7-0-0; Sydney Robertson 4-0-3; Chantal Adderley 2-2-1; Jennifer Dixon 0-1-0; Lauren Sakahara 0-1-0; Totals 37-9-4.0. (Assists) - Jennifer Dixon 33. (Dig leaders) – Lauren Sakahara 9; Jennifer Dixon 7