Volleyball Gets Back on the Winning Side in a 3-0 Victory over Keene St.

KEENE, N.H. -- Senior Nicole Doerges (San Marino, Calif.) posted her third straight game with 20 or more kills, as the Blue got back on track with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-19), in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon at Spaulding Gymnasium.

The Blue snap a six game losing streak and improve to 2-6 overall. The Keene St. Owls dropped a four game winning streak and now stand at 10-4 overall.

Doerges finished with a match high 24 kills and a .321 hitting percentage to lead the Blue on the offensive end. Junior TylerBell Smith (Frisco, Texas) finished just shy of double-digit kills with nine for the match. Sophomore Kate Salembier (Sierra Madre, Calif.) also had a strong outing, recording seven kills and 10 digs. Libero Claire Bialek (Brookline, Mass.) posted a team high 11 digs and had five service aces. Setter Izzy Seebold (Concord, N.C.) recorded a season high 36 assists. 

The Owls were led by Emilyann Ashford (Colegio Chuquicamata, Chile) who had nine kills. Ashford was set up by teammate Kacie Blanchet (Salem, N.H.) who finished with 26 assists. Defensively, Sydney Johnson (Brentwood, N.H.) had a team high 14 digs for Keene.

Wellesley started off the first set on track, taking a 4-0 lead over the Owls. Wellesley kept the pressure on and took a convincing 13-6 lead. Keene St. battled back, but it was too little too late as the Blue held on to a 25-21 win in the first set. After the Owls got off to a 5-2 lead in the beginning of the second set, Wellesley came back with a 4-0 run and took the lead. It was a back and forth affair until the Blue scored five of six points late in the set and held on 25-19. Wellelsey recorded 17 kills in the set with a .333 hitting percentage to go along with three service aces.

The Blue took control early in the final set and did not look back. Bialek had two service aces in the first four points for the Blue. Wellesley remained in control throughout the final set and scored the final three points, including a kill from Tiffany Shou (San Jose, Calif.) and Doerges to complete the 3-0 sweep.

Wellesley returns to conference play on the road at Emerson College on Tuesday, September 28, at 7:00 PM. Keene St. will also be on the road for a Little East Conference matchup with Plymouth State on Wednesday, September 29, at 7:00 PM.