LEWISTON, Maine – Bates College and the University of New England combined to hit .294, racking up 79 kills on 190 total attempts, as they each posted 3-0 sweeps of the Keene State College women's volleyball team on Saturday at Alumni Gymnasium.

KSC fell to the host Bobcats 25-17, 25-15, 25-14 and then to the Nor'easters – who wound up going 2-0 at the tri-match after beating Bates in five – 25-23, 25-23, 25-22.
The Owls will rue the loss to UNE particularly, as they held a 20-15 lead in the first set and could not hold on before falling in the second despite trimming a 19-13 deficit to just one at 24-23.  KSC led for the vast majority of the third set also until the Nor'easters broke a 19-19 tie thanks to consecutive kills by Kendall Gallaugher to force an Owl timeout, and UNE never trailed again.

Keene State has been unable to limit opponents' offenses through the season's early stages, allowing them to hit .200 or better in four of six matches.  The Owls have been outhit .199 to .095 overall in their six matches and are minus-27 in digs and minus-30 in total blocks.  KSC had only one block on the day, a solo stuff by freshman Katie Taylor in the third set against UNE.  The Nor'easters had four blocks in the first frame alone, including three in their rally from 19-12 down to tie it at 21.  KSC pushed in front 22-21 on a kill by Sarah Bartels, but a kill and an ace then gave UNE their first lead since they scored the first point of the match.  Gigi Stake responded with a kill after a timeout, but spikes by Ellijah Hanley and Kailyn Reilly gave the Nor'easters the opening set – and ultimately momentum for the day.

An 8-3 surge for UNE to bump an 11-10 lead to six in the second ultimately proved to be too much for KSC to overcome despite a furious comeback attempt that included three kills by Katie Taylor, including consecutive spikes that made it 23-21.  Gallaugher answered to bring up set point for the Nor'easters, but a swing by Stake and a Delia Ryan ace forced a timeout for UNE at 24-23.  KSC was unable to force extra points and faced a 2-0 match hole after Hanley's kill ended their rally.

Much like the first, the Owls led for much of the third, including 10-4 early and 18-14 in the later stages – but they could not hold on.  UNE used a 9-1 run to flip that four-point deficit into their own four-point lead and they did not have any trouble from there, holding KSC without a kill for the final 16 points after a swing by Stake gave the Owls a 17-14 lead.

Taylor finished with eight kills and hit .375 to pace KSC while Bartels had six kills and hit .222.  Colleen Fraser added five on .176 hitting, while Alexis Small added team-highs of 17 assists and nine digs.  Hanley led UNE with 14 kills and hit .333 and Gallaugher added seven kills on only 12 total attempts.

Story will be updated.