GORHAM, Maine – Seven days after sweeping one of the most successful programs in recent Little East Conference history, the Eastern Connecticut State University women's volleyball team was swept by one of the least successful ones.

A week after surprising six-time defending LEC regular-season champion University of Massachusetts Boston, Eastern (6-7, 1-1 LEC) was upended by the University of Southern Maine (6-7, 1-1 LEC) by scores of  21-25, 23-25, 24-26 at the Hill Gymnasium, losing for only the second time in 17 matches  in this series against the Huskies.

Both Eastern and Southern Maine followed with non-conference victories over Emmanuel (2-9), Eastern overcoming a 2-1 hole for a 25-13, 17-25, 21-25, 28-26, 15-11 triumph. USM disposed of the Saints in four.

Against Eastern, Southern Maine ended a four-match losing streak, where it had managed to win only one of 13 sets. In losing for the first time since 2003 against Southern Maine – which failed to qualify for last year's LEC tournament while Eastern advanced to the final – the Warriors kicked away an opportunity to start the season with two conference wins for the first time since defeating Rhode Island College and Plymouth State University in their 2008 LEC openers.

Led by 2014 LEC Rookie-of-the-Year Jess Williamson, a 5-foot-7 inch outside hitter, Southern Maine attacked at .230 – better than twice its season percentage of .104. Williamson hit at .412, leading all players on both teams with 18 kills (more than half of her team's total) and sharing the lead among all players with 15 digs.

Eastern junior right side Kay Mullen (Fairhaven, MA) attacked at .364 – her second-best mark of the year – and combined with junior outsides Ashley Adams (Mystic) and Hannah Bryant (Avon) for 28 of the team's 38 kills. Mullen amassed ten kills, Bryant nine with a .261 percentage and Adams nine with a mark of .214.

Sage Tourigny (Fitzwilliam, NH), a 6-foot-3 inch middle, collected four blocks and Adams three for Eastern, which has won only one of six matches on its opponent's court this year. Senior libero Allie Luppi (Tewksbury, MA) and junior outside Adrianna Mihalek (Woodbury) combined for 27 digs and freshman Leah Sopneski (Deep River) and junior Amanda Tourjee (Waterford) teammed for 29 assists. Mihalek also served three aces and Luppi two.

Against Emmanuel, Mullen pounded down 17 kills, and junior Fabiana Della-Monica (Newark, DE) passed for 25 assists.   

Eastern visits Western New England University Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a non-conference match.