VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Central Maine Community College women’s volleyball ran into a buzzsaw in its opening match of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament Thursday, as the Mustangs were swept 3-0 by top-seeded Cincinnati-Clermont.

The fifth-seeded Mustangs lost the first two sets 25-8, 25-5 before giving the Cougars a push with a 25-16 loss in the third set.

Tiara Begishe and Aaliyah Smith each recorded seven kills for CMCC, with Begishe also collecting nine assists and five digs and Smith notching seven assists and four digs. Kaylee Reid led the Mustangs with seven digs, to go along with six kills.

Kennedy Robinson and Kara Heckmuller smacked 13 kills apiece for UC-Clermont, and Maura Holscher dished out 22 assists.

CMCC continues pool play Friday at 9 a.m. against fourth-seeded Penn State-York, which beat UC-Clermont 3-2 earlier Thursday.

MEN’S SOCCER
BATES PAIR COLLECT HONORS: Bates college’s Tife Agunloye and Alec Szwarcewicz each received all-conference honors from the New England Small College Athletic Conference this week.

Agunloye was named to the All-NESCAC first team after leading the conference with four goals against conference foes. He also recorded two assists this season.

Szwarcewicz was selected to the second team following a season in which the senior captain scored a team-leading five goals and provide two assists.