Panner Reaches 2,000-Assist Milestone at the JWU Wildcat Classic

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Junior setter Charleyne Panner (Gilford, N.H.) became just the sixth player in program history to reach the 2,000-assist milestone as the Bridgewater State University volleyball team dropped a pair of matches during the second and final day of the Johnson & Wales Wildcat Classic.

Panner notched 32 assists in the Bears 3-1 setback (25-12, 20-25, 25-16, 25-18) to the University of Southern Maine. She finished with 41 assists, including her 2,000th, in a 3-2 loss (25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-12) to tournament champion Rhode Island College.

Panner now has 2,018 assists in her career as she also moved past Erica Kelley into fifth place on the Bears' all-time list. Kelly recorded 2,010 assists from 2004 to 2007.

Bridgewater finished 2-2 at the tournament and tied for third place along with Southern Maine. RIC went 4-0 to claim the team title while host Johnson & Wales posted a 3-1 mark to place second.

Southern Maine 3, Bridgewater State 1 (25-12, 20-25, 25-16, 25-18)

Panner notched 32 assists to go along with 14 digs and a pair of kills in the loss to the Huskies. Junior middle hitter Sydney Bennett (North Attleboro, Mass.) tallied nine kills and a .409 hitting percentage, while junior outside hitter Hannah Maymon (Narragansett, R.I.) recorded a match-high 14 kills as well as 12 digs and a solo block.

Bridgewater struggled in the serving game committing nine serving errors (with only two aces) and allowing 11 Husky aces.

Rhode Island College 3, Bridgewater State 2 (25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-12)

Trailing two games to one, Bridgewater battled back for a hard-fought 28-26 win to send the match to a decisive fifth set. The comeback fell just short as the Bears dropped a 15-12 decision in the final set to the tournament champion Anchorwomen.

Maymon, Bennett and senior middle hitter Julie Hutchins (Bellingham, Mass.) registered 12, 11 and 13 kills, respectively. Maymon also added 13 digs, a solo block and two aces, while Bennett posted three blocks (one solo) and two aces, and Hutchins checked in with two solo blocks.

Panner added a kills and five digs to her 41 assists, while freshman libero Cassidy Tyros (Chelmsford, Mass.) registered 24 digs and a pair of aces.

The Bears finished with nine aces in the match but also 11 serving errors. The Anchorwomen finished with ten aces and eight serving errors.

Hutchins was named to the All-Tournament Team.

In upcoming action, the Bears travel to Salve Regina University for a seven o'clock match with the Seahawks.