MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College volleyball team started Tuesday's match against Southern New Hampshire University with a 1-0 lead, but the Penmen came roaring back with three consecutive set victories to down the Hawks in four.

With the loss, the Hawks fall to 11-5 on the season with a 1-2 record in Northeast-10 Conference play. The Penmen improve to 7-6 and 3-2 in league matches. Saint Anselm has a quick turnaround as the Hawks travel to Saint Michael's for a 6 p.m. match on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

After winning the opening set, 25-15, the Hawks dropped the next three by scores of 25-18, 25-20, and 25-23. The Penmen claimed a victory over Saint Anselm for just the second time in 10 matches.

Junior Lauren Casey (Jefferson City, Mo.) led the Hawks offense with 12 kills while sophomores Audrey Simmons (North Hampton, N.H.) and Audrey Wetjen (Henderson, Nev.) posted 10 kills each. Junior Michelle Henwood (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) threw up a match-high 42 assists. Classmate Caroline Belmontez (San Diego, Calif.) led all players with 13 digs while Casey fired four service aces, which was a match-high.

Southern New Hampshire held an 8-4 lead in the first set before Saint Anselm rattled off nine-straight points to lead 13-8. Casey collected two of her service aces during that run while the Hawks were the beneficiaries of five Penmen errors. The lead would hold at five points until the Hawks posted a five-point run to put set one out of reach, registering a 25-15 victory in the opener.

The second set began with the Hawks holding a 10-7 lead. However, the Penmen would tally nine of the next 10 points to open a 16-11 advantage. Juliana Pacini, Chiara Di Valerio, and Dai Thawnghmung all posted kills during the stretch. Following a timeout, the Hawks registered four straight points on kills by freshman Gabby Belcher (Buckeye, Ariz.) and Casey – two Southern New Hampshire errors were also incldued in that stretch, pushing the score to 16-15. Ultimately, the Penmen closed out the set by registering nine of the final 12 points to tie the match at one.

In the third set, neither team could gain a clear advantage as the largest lead, until the end of the set, was just three points at 8-5 in favor of Southern New Hampshire. With the Hawks down 21-19, a timeout was taken by Saint Anselm which set up a kill by Simmons. However, kills from Pacini, Grace Pierce, and Thawnghmung pushed the Penmen to a set three win, 25-20, courtesy of four-straight points.

After opening an early lead in set four, the Hawks were forced to battle from behind. Southern New Hampshire held a five-point lead in the set, including at 19-14. Saint Anselm eventually would tie the set by scoring six of the next seven points with kills coming from Wetjen and Henwood and a Belmontez service ace, forcing a 20-20 score. The Penmen followed with three consecutive points as the teams battled down the stretch, but Southern New Hampshire held on for a 25-23 win in the fourth set to clinch the victory.