KEENE, N.H. 10/12/11 – The Keene State College women's volleyball team edged Western Conn. State University 3-2 in a hard-fought Little East Conference match at Spaulding Gym on Wednesday night.

            Snapping a two match losing streak, Keene State (10-9, 3-1 LEC) moves into a three way time for second place in the LEC with Western Conn. and Plymouth State. Western Conn. (16-6, 3-1 LEC) has dropped its last two matches.  

            This win reinvents us," said KSC Coach Bob Weiner.  "This puts us back in the mix to to win the Little East championship."

            With the score knotted at 10-all in the opening game, the Colonials won eight of the next nine points to go up 18-11.  KSC got within three points (22-19), but WCSU got the next three points to win the game 25-19.

            Holding on to a slim 20-17 lead, the Owls won five of the next six points to take the second game 25-18.

            Keene State built up a 19-6 lead and held off a late Colonials rally to win the third game 25-17.  Pulling ahead 17-4, Western Conn. came right back to take game four 25-15. 

            In the decisive fifth game, Keene State reeled off six straight points on consecutive kills by senior Elyse Davis (Londonderry, N.H.), a receiving error and a service ace by freshman Sammy Dormio (Leesburg, Va.) to take a 10-4 lead.  "Everybody likes when the ball comes to them because it's their chance to shine and make the big play," said Davis. 

            Senior Bridget O'Bryant (Merrimack, N.H.) capped off a run of five straight points with a kill to make it a 14-6 game.  Junior Alex Lehocky (Edgewood, N.M.) finished off the match with a kill to give KSC a 15-7 victory.

           Dormio said the team was able to the fourth game behind them and come out strong for the fifth game.  "We just let go of all of our mistakes and started a new," said Dormio, who had several spectacular diving digs in the match.  "I love diving on the floor and getting the ball up.  It's so amazing."

          " In the fifth game we proved to ourselves that we belong among the top teams in the conference," said O'Bryant, who had to overcome the Colonials' strong blockers all night..  We used our toolbox, 'she said.  "We tip it, we roll shot. We hit different positions to get the ball over them."

           Weiner also made a key tactical move in his line-up heading into the fifth game that enabled KSC to win the match.

            O'Bryant finished the game with 19 kills and 20 digs to lead the Owls.  Senior Kristen Girard (Red Hook, N.Y.) had 14 kills and 15 digs and Davis chipped in with 13 kills. Senior setter Laurie Whalen added 45 assists.

            Junior Paxton Thornton (Sharon, Conn.) had a fine overall game for the Colonials, finishing with 19 kills, three service aces, 11 digs and three blocks.  Senior Michelle Hearns (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) had 12 kills. Defensively, senior Kelley Collins (Massapequa, N.Y.) had 26 digs while sophomore Melanie Lombardi (Danbury, Conn.) finished with six blacks.

            Keene State has won nine of its last 10 matches against WCSU.

            Keene State is at Babson College on Thursday (7 p.m.).  Western Conn. host Wheaton College and Westfield State in a tri-match on Saturday (11 a.m.).