SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior middle blocker Molly Wetherbee combined for 17 kills and only two errors on 35 attempts and first year outside hitter Marina Miller added 26 kills, 26 digs, and seven aces over two matches as the Keene State College women's volleyball team gave head coach Jacob Girard his first two collegiate coaching victories on Saturday afternoon in Springfield.  The Owls rolled Westfield State University, winning 25-16, 25-17, and 25-19, and avoided blowing a two-set lead against Rivier University with a dominant 15-5 final set.

In the day's first match against Westfield, KSC did not have much trouble, going on long runs in all three sets to assume control.  The Owls scored the first seven points of the match and never trailed in the first set, opening a 16-7 lead on an ace by Alexis Small.  Westfield got within five twice after that, but four straight points culminating with a block by Small and Wetherbee made it 24-15 and Miller ended the set two rallies later with a kill.

There was more fight from Westfield in the second frame, as they erased an early 7-2 deficit to take a 9-7 lead, but a 13-6 spurt by KSC put them up seven (23-16) and they took a 2-0 match lead after kills by Sarah Bartels and Miller.

Down three midway through the third, it seemed WSU might extend the match after they ran off six straight points to take a 16-14 lead, but Keene State answered with points in seven of eight culminating with an ace by Delia Ryan to go up 21-17.  Aces were a major difference, as KSC racked up 16 of the 20 in the match.  Emma Nihill fired down kills on consecutive points of a Westfield timeout to keep her team in it for the moment, but Keene wrapped up the match by scoring the final four points and gave Girard, previously an assistant coach at Emerson College, his first career head coaching victory in his second ever match.

Keene State has beaten Westfield 20 consecutive times and in 31 of 39 overall.

Against Rivier, the trio of Wetherbee, Bartels, and Miller teamed up for 40 of the Owls' 53 kills as they punctuated the day by dominating Rivier in a fifth set where they had nine kills against only one error, outhitting Rivier .533 to .000.  Miller started the frame with a pair of spikes, and that was only the very beginning, as KSC roared out to an 11-1 lead in a match that otherwise featured 30 ties and 13 lead changes in the opening four sets.  Rivier had only four kills and three digs in 15 rallies in the fifth and was thoroughly outhit on the day .224 to .088.

The Owls moved out to a 2-0 match lead thanks to late execution and timely offense.  In the first, with the set tied at 22, Small set up Miller for a lead and Annaliese Rudberg followed with a point of her own to force a Rivier timeout at 24-22.  The Raiders blocked Small's attempt on the following point to get back within one, but Rudberg – who had 14 kills on the day including nine against Rivier – ended the set on the next point.

Keene State steadily took over in the second, ballooning a slim 9-8 edge with a 10-2 burst that featured two kills and an ace by Miller.  Down 19-10, the Raiders briefly got back within five before KSC thwarted any hopes they may have had by scoring four of five to being up set point, which they cashed in on two points later.

Poised for their second win in straight sets on the day and leading 20-17 in the third, Rivier had other ideas, tallying nine of the final 13 points to nab a set in extra points that had seemed lost after not leading since it was 10-9.  KSC also dropped the fourth frame despite Rivier hitting just .033, as a 9-1 Raider surge flipped a one-point deficit into an 18-9 lead.  Rivier posted five of their 11 aces in the fourth frame.  The Owls made a go at it, getting within four twice after that, but a Callie Nanos kill and KSC attacking error forced a deciding fifth set that did not take long to decide.

The Owls, 16-16 all-time in the series, snapped a four-match losing streak against the Raiders, which included a 3-0 defeat at least year's Dearing Classic in Springfield.

"All of our hitters had a great day," said KSC head coach Jake Girard.  "I have to give credit to our serve reception and our setter Alexis Small.  She made great decisions and was very consistent all day."

Keene State will host Fitchburg State University in their home opener on Tuesday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m.