NEW LONDON, N.H. -- The Mariners advance to their eighth straight conference title match with a 3-0 victory over Husson on Friday night to improve to 16-14. The Eagles drop to 9-22.

Maine Maritime took control of the first set after jumping out to an 11-3 lead capped by a Gillian O'Neal (Burbank, Calif.) service ace. The teams traded the next several points before the Mariners ended the set on one of O'Neal's eight kills in the set. Maine Maritime hit .348 to take set one 25-11.

The second set featured five ties and three lead changes and went down to the wire. Husson took its largest lead of the match at 13-8 after a Marissa Tautimer kill. The Eagles held onto the lead until a 5-1 run by the Mariners knotted the score at 19-19. The set would be tied once again at 23-23, but the Mariners received a kill from junior Sydney Robertson (Barnstead, N.H.) and a miscue from Husson to take a 25-23 victory in set two.

The Mariners closed out the match in convincing fashion with a 25-12 third set victory. The team hit .292 and held Husson to -.167 attacking. Maine Maritime ended the set on a 5-1 run to win by a 13-point margin, 25-12 and win the match.

O'Neal led all players with 16 kills on .312 hitting and added 11 digs. Robertson also reached double figure kills with 11 and hit an impressive .524. The duo accounted for 27 of the team's 35 kills. Senior setter Betsy Trenckmann (La Veta, Colo.) had a match best 31 assists and added three aces.

Husson was led by senior Alexandra deHertogh. She hit .417 with five kills, two aces and a pair of blocks. Freshman Kaitlyn Carl added four kills, six digs and three aces. Freshman setter Marissa Johnson had 12 assists and a team best eight digs.

Maine Maritime will face Colby-Sawyer College for the fourth straight season in Saturday's 2014 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship match.

First serve of the championship match tomorrow is scheduled for 11:30 am. Follow the action with live video www.nsnsports.net.