SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 loss to crosstown rival Southern New Hampshire University in the NCAA Division II Championship East Region Semifinals.

The Hawks see their season come to a close at 21-10 overall while the Penmen advance to face the winner of American International College and Adelphi University for the East Region Championship on Saturday, Nov. 19.

Saint Anselm opened the match with a 25-22 win in the opening set before falling in the next three by scores of 25-20, 25-19, and 25-18.

Senior Lauren Casey (Jefferson City, Mo.) paced the Hawks attack with 17 kills while junior Audrey Wetjen (Henderson, Nev.) added nine. Senior Michelle Henwood (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) registered 32 assists and added 13 digs for a double-double. The defense was led by senior Caroline Belmontez (San Diego, Calif.) and junior Alina Barbarena (Los Angeles, Calif.) who recorded 15 and 14 digs apiece.

The Hawks were making their fourth appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship in program history. Saint Anselm tied the 2019 team for a program record of 21 wins in a single season and set a program record for consecutive sets won at 19, which aided the team to a 7-0 start.

In the opening set, the Hawks used six-consecutive points to take an early 11-6 lead. However, the Penmen used a run of six of seven points to cut the Saint Anselm edge to one at 16-15. The sides battled back-and-forth pushing the set to 23-22 but a Penmen attack error and a service ace by Casey gave the Hawks set one, 25-22.

Set two saw the teams trade scores and leads with the Hawks taking a 19-18 lead on a kill by freshman Ava Kidd (Walton, Ky.). However, Southern New Hampshire rattled off seven of the set's final eight points to tie the match at one following the 25-20 second set.

A Penmen attack error pushed set three to an even 10-10 through the opening of the set. However, eight of the next 11 points would go Southern New Hampshire's way as they grabbed an 18-13 lead. They would maintain that lead throughout the closing stages and cap the third frame on a kill by Alice Arletti, posting a 25-19 set three win and taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

Southern New Hampshire grabbed the lead in the early going of set four and never let it go. With the Penmen up 17-12, they would score on six consecutive points to take a commanding 23-12 lead but four straight points by the Hawks cut the deficit to single digits at 23-16. However, the sides swapped scores which allowed the Penmen take the set, 25-18 and the match 3-1.