WALTHAM, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team dropped a four-set decision, 3-1, to Bentley University on Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center in a non-conference matchup as the Hawks move to 9-4 on the season.
Bentley 3, Saint Anselm 1 (25-18, 15-25, 15-25, 11-25)
Highlights
- Senior Sam Pila led Saint Anselm with nine kills on 25 attacks, hitting .200 while adding eight digs.
- Sophomore Peyton Elward recorded six kills on 14 attacks for a .357 hitting percentage and added a block assist and a solo block.
- Freshman Riley Campo posted six kills and two block assists for seven points.
- Sophomore Mckenna O'Connell registered 24 assists and 11 digs while adding a kill and a solo block.
- Senior Madeline Burke recorded 14 digs and four assists as the Hawks' libero.
- Bentley has defeated Saint Anselm in 13 consecutive matchups as the Hawks fall to 3-43 all-time against the Falcons.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Saint Anselm opened with a 3-1 lead before Bentley moved in front, 5-3, and the teams battled through a series of ties. The Falcons held a 10-7 advantage before the Hawks answered with four of the next five points to pull within one, 11-10, then took a 13-12 lead. Saint Anselm later built a 17-14 advantage and closed the frame on an 8-4 run to take the opening set, 25-18.
SET 2 | Bentley took control early in the second set, turning a 5-4 lead into an 11-5 advantage behind a 6-1 run. Saint Anselm trimmed the deficit to four, 13-9, but the Falcons answered with a 6-1 stretch to move ahead 19-12. Bentley then scored six of the final nine points to even the match with a 25-15 victory.
SET 3 | The third set remained close early, with Saint Anselm trailing 7-6 before Bentley created separation. The Falcons pushed ahead 13-10 and then scored eight of the next 10 points to take a 21-12 advantage. Pila and Elward helped the Hawks score three straight late points, but Bentley closed the set, 25-15.
SET 4 | Bentley jumped out to a 5-0 lead and continued to build its advantage, scoring nine consecutive points to turn a 5-1 margin into a 14-1 lead. Saint Anselm responded with a brief 5-0 run of its own, including an ace from sophomore Veronica Gomez and kills from junior Taylor Lacerda and Pila, to cut the deficit to 11, 20-9. The Falcons answered with five of the next seven points, securing the match with a 25-11 fourth-set victory.
Up Next
The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team returns home on Tuesday, Sept. 29, hosting Franklin Pierce University at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium in a non-conference matchup at 6 p.m.
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