Volleyball Ties Single-Season Win Mark, Bests UNE, 3-1

BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball took down the University of New England, 3-1, Wednesday night at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court. The win, which came by set scores 25-12, 19-25, 25-20 and 25-22, marked the Rams' 20th of the season, which ties the program's single-season win record.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | University of New England 1
RECORDS: Suffolk (20-4, 3-2 CNE) | University of New England (15-5, 2-3 CNE)  

SET ONE RECAP (25-12, SUFFOLK)

• Suffolk fell in a 6-1 hole early that forced Scott Blanchard to use a timeout. 
• The Rams rallied out of the break back and leveled the playing field at 7-all. 
• From there, the blue-and-gold compiled a 7-1 run to grab a 12-7 lead. That spurt featured three aces from Morgan Kelsey and a pair of kills by McKenna Keowen. 
• The host kept its foot on the gas pedal as it outscored the Nor'easters 6-2 to push its advantage to 18-9. 
• Out of UNE timeout, Suffolk closed the set with a 7-3 stretch. Chloe Clement chipped in to two kills to the set-ending run that saw one kill apiece from Sami Shore and Emily Norgrove. 

SET TWO RECAP (25-19, UNE)

• There were nine tied scores and a pair of lead exchanges to get the Rams and Nor'Easters to the midway point locked at 15-all. 
• UNE snuck ahead and built a three-point, 19-16, edge that caused Blanchard to use his first timeout of the stanza. 
• The blue-and-gold managed to pull back within one, 19-18, before the Nor'Easters stormed away with the set thanks to a 6-1 run.

SET THREE RECAP (25-20, SUFFOLK)

• It was Suffolk that broke up a 4-all tie and jumped ahead 7-3. 
• That slight lead grew to three a handful of times with the last coming at 13-10. 
• The Nor'Easters climbed back behind a 5-2 run to even things at 15-all. 
• A Suffolk timeout helped the host get composure and gain a four-point edge, 21-17. 
• UNE would not go down without a fight and attempted to battle back. Suffolk however kept the visitors at a three-point distance the rest of the way and sealed the stanza on a Keowen kill followed by an ace from the senior captain. 

SET FOUR RECAP (25-20, SUFFOLK)

• The Rams trailed early on, 7-3. 
• The blue-and-gold pulled back and managed to lock things at 9-all thanks to a 6-2 stretch that saw Keowen notch two more kills. 
• The scored would go on to tie five more times with the last coming at 15-all. 
• Suffolk managed to compile a 4-1 spurt to build a 20-16 edge. 
• The Nor'Easters responded with four unanswered points to knot things at 20-all. 
• The Rams answered with a 4-0 run of their own to regain a four-point margin, 24-20.
• UNE attempted to pull back into things with back-to-back points, but a timely Clement kill locked up the set for the host.  

STATISICALLY SPEAKING

• Keowen had a 14-kill, 19-dig night with three digs, two aces and one assist. 
• Shore was on the verge of double-digit kills as well with nine thanks to a .353 attack clip. The sophomore added three blocks. 
• Clement contributed seven kills and two digs
• Jayla Martinez added 23 assists, three digs, one ace and one kill. 
• Aislinn Lanigan logged 17 helpers and seven digs. 
• Kelsey pitched in 14 digs, three aces, one assist and one kill.  

NOTEWORTHY

• With its 20th victory of the year, Suffolk tied the program win mark, which was set in 2019 (20-12). It is the third-ever season in the Rams' history that they hit the 20-win mark and first since 2022. 
• All 20 win seasons have come under Blanchard's guidance. 
• It is the first time in the regular-season that the blue-and-gold reached the 20-win plateau.
• Suffolk defeated UNE for the first time since Oct. 25, 2022.
• The Rams leveled the all-time series with the Nor'Easters at 3-3. 
• As the home team, Suffolk is 2-0 versus the Nor'Easters. 
• Suffolk is 3-2 against UNE with Blanchard on the bench.  
• The Rams and Nor'Easters went four sets for the first time in the all-time series. 
• Grace Cervenka tied a personal-best three aces. 
• Keowen put together her 11th double-double of the year and 27th of her collegiate campaign.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Rams wrap up their non-conference calendar Saturday, Oct. 26 at Mass. Maritime at 4:00 p.m.