MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College volleyball team extended its winning streak to six with a 3-1 non-conference win over crosstown rival Southern New Hampshire University.

With the win, the Hawks improve to 17-6 overall while the Penmen fall to 11-4. Saint Anselm is back in action when they host American International College, who is receiving votes in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll, on Friday, Oct. 22 from Stoutenburgh Gymnasium. The first serve is slated for 6 p.m.

Saint Anselm would take sets one and two by 25-23 and 25-18 scores before Southern New Hampshire got on the board with a 28-26 set three. However, the fourth set would go the Hawks way by a 29-27 score to seal the match, three sets to one.

Sophomore Gabby Belcher (Buckeye, Ariz.) tied a match high with 14 kills while junior Kaitlin Brown (Glendale, Ariz.) and senior Lauren Casey (Jefferson City, Mo.) followed closely with 13 and 12 kills each.

Senior Michelle Henwood (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) threw up 42 assists and added 16 digs for the Hawks while classmate Caroline Belmontez (San Diego, Calif.) collected a team-high 17 digs.

Saint Anselm would open a 20-11 lead after a ball handling error issued to Southern New Hampshire and with some trading of points, the Hawks would reach a 23-15 edge. Eight of the next nine points went to the Penmen as they cut the lead to one at 24-23. The Hawks would close out the set on their sixth set point as a Penmen attack error pushed the opening set to its final score at 25-23.

Six straight points by the Hawks gave them an early advantage in set two at 11-4. After swapping scores, Saint Anselm held an 18-8 lead on a kill from Belcher. The Penmen slowly chipped away toward the end of the set but the Hawks replied to each Southern New Hampshire point with one of their own, ultimately closing the second frame on a kill by Henwood, 25-18.

After a four-point run by the Penmen pushed them a 17-13 lead, the Hawks used a 7-1 run to take a 19-18 following a Southern New Hampshire attack error. Once again, the teams traded scores as a kill from Casey pushed the Hawks ahead, 23-22 but consecutive points for the visitors put them on set point. Saint Anselm would force extra points in the set and the teams would draw even at 24, 25, and 26 but a kill by Ana Pimenta and a Saint Anselm error closed set three at 28-26 and would push the match to a fourth set.

It wasn't until a four-point run in the middle of set four that either side held more than a two-point lead as the Penmen would lead 16-13, following the run. They would continue to score and extended their lead to 19-14 after scoring on three of the next four. A pair of four-point runs by Saint Anselm would give them a 22-20 lead. Once more, the Hawks would take a 23-22 lead following a kill by Casey but two consecutive errors put Southern New Hampshire on set point and another kill from Casey knotted the set at 24. After drawing even three more times in the set, a service error by the Penmen and a kill from Brown would close the match at 3-1 following the 29-27 set four.