HIGHLIGHTS

MANCHESTER, N.H. – An impressive two-game comeback lifted the Southern New Hampshire volleyball team past Assumption College by a score of 3-2 Tuesday evening in non-conference play. The Penmen improve to 4-1, the best start in program history dating back to 1995, while the Greyhounds are now 4-4.

The first set was back-and-forth between the two teams, until Assumption pulled away with a six point lead at the 21-15 mark. The Penmen cut the deficit to five, but could not come back and lost the set by a score of 25-17.

Assumption jumped out to an early lead in the second set taking a 7-3 lead over SNHU. However, the Penmen answered with five points to Assumption's three to cut the lead to 10-8. A pair of kills from Emma Houlihan (Shoreham, N.Y.) and Victoria Wehrmann (Dallas, Texas) maintained the Greyhound's lead to just two points, and a service ace from Megan Salamun (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and a Kendra Mikuta (Orland Park, Ill.) kill tied the set up at 15 apiece. The teams traded points for the next four possessions, but back-to-back kills from Assumption allowed another two point edge over SNHU. The Greyhounds continued to capitalize on Penmen errors, and a Lauren Ostafin kill solidified a 25-23 win for Assumption, making the match 2-0 in the Greyhounds favor.

The Penmen answered by taking the final three sets from Assumption.

SNHU seemed to get in trouble in the third set when the visitors took a 10-7 lead, however, three consecutive Penmen kills, including two from Houlihan, tied the game up at 11-11. Assumption pulled away once again taking another three-point 15-12 lead. The Penmen fought their way back in the game, and took the first lead of the game on a Greyhound service error. The lead did not last long, as Assumption climbed back to a three-point lead late in the set. Down 23-20, SNHU answered once again scoring five out of seven points to tie the game at 25-25. The Greyhounds took a 26-25 lead on an Ann Donahue kill, but Wehrmann closed out the game with three consecutive kills to win 28-26.

An early 3-1 fourth set lead set the pace for the remainder of the frame as the Penmen led Assumption for the entire set, and won by a score of 24-20 to force a fifth deciding game.

SNHU trailed the Greyhounds for the majority of the fifth set. Behind 10-9, the Penmen turned things around on a Wehrmann kill followed by an Assumption error to take the first lead of the set at 11-10. Catherine Cotton (Murphy, Texas) served an ace to boost the lead to two, and a kill from Salamun made it match point as SNHU lead 14-11. A Greyhound service error helped the Penmen close out the match with a score of 15-12.

Wehrmann totaled a season-high 22 kills for the Penmen, while Houlihan notched an impressive 12. Cotton dished out 44 assists, and Maeghan Higgins (Hesperia, Calif.) totaled 21 digs in the win.

The Penmen return to action Friday, September 20 as they host Lynn University for a non-conference match slated for 7:30 pm.  

For the latest on Southern New Hampshire University athletics, follow the Penmen via social media on Twitter (@snhupenmen), Facebook(www.facebook.com/snhupenmen), Youtube (www.youtube.com/snhupenmen) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/snhupenmen).