KEENE, N.H., 9/23/10 – The Keene State College women's volleyball team defeated Rivier College 3-0 in a non-conference match played at Spaulding Gym on Thursday night. 

Winners of three straight matches, Keene State improves to 7-6.  Rivier (6-6) saw its two game winning streak come to an end.

The Owls jumped out to a 20-5 lead and never looked back on the way to winning the first game 25-9.  With the scored knotted at 15-all in the second game, KSC outscored the Raiders 10-3 to win the middle game 25-18.   Keene State won a closely-contested third game 25-21.

"We worked really hard in practice this week and it paid off, "said junior setter Laurie Whalen (Niantic, Conn.), who finished the match with 29 assists. "We've been working on our offense, since our defense is solid."

"We've been trying all season to get a system and it looks like where getting closer," said KSC coach Bob Weiner. 

Junior Kristen Girard (Red Hook, N.Y.) had another strong match for the Owls, finishing with 11 kills and six digs.  Finding her timing after missing several early season matched, junior Ellyse Davis (Londonderry, N.H.) chipped in with nine kills, four serves aces and three blocks.  "We really came together," said Davis, who didn't commit an error in 16 attempts and finished with a sparkling .562 hitting percentage.  "This was a big win for us."

Senior Jamie Levine (Medfield, Mass.) led the KSC defense with 12 digs.

Sophomore Kenna Finlayson (Derry, N.H.) had a fine match for the Raiders, finishing with 10 kills and three service aces.  Junior Lauren Saccoccio (Warwick, R.I.) added 22 assists and junior Emileigh Cenedella (Townsend, Mass.) had a match high 16 digs.

Both teams return to the court for home matches on Saturday, Rivier plays Wentworth and Wesleyan while Keene State hosts St. Michaels and a key Little East match against Eastern Conn.  "We're so pumped to play Eastern.  It's going to be a big conference match for us," said Whalen.