When and Where: November 10, 2022 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 3, Saint Anselm College 0
Records: SNHU 16-6, Saint Anselm 20-9
Redshirt-junior
Ana Pimenta (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) tallied a match-high 16 kills on .412 hitting to lead the fourth-seeded Southern New Hampshire University women's volleyball team to a 3-0 victory against fifth-seeded Saint Anselm College in Thursday's NE10 Championship quarterfinal tilt at the Stan Spirou Field House.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Pimenta – 16 kills, .412 hitting, 2 blocks, 3 digs
- Sophomore Carmen Bernardis (Trieste, Italy) – 9 kills, .273 hitting, 4 blocks, 2 digs
- Graduate student Alice Arletti (Modena, Italy) – 8 kills, .636 hitting, 3 blocks, 3 digs
- Graduate student Sara Montefameglio (Turin, Italy) – 31 assists, 1 ace, 1 block, career-high 16 digs
- Sophomore Deanne Wilson (No. Collins, N.Y.) – 15 digs, 1 ace
- Senior Kam Blaskey (Ventura, Calif.) – 4 kills, .308 hitting, 4 blocks
- Senior Dai Thawnghmung (Lowell, Mass.) – 3 kills, .429 hitting, 3 aces, 1 block, 8 digs
KEY MOMENTS
- Southern New Hampshire held a 22-21 edge in the opening set when it scored three of the next four – with kills from Pimenta and Thawnghmung – to go in front, 1-0.
- Three straight kills from Bernardis and a pair from Pimenta powered a 9-2 run to begin the second stanza for the Penmen. Saint Anselm would eventually trim its deficit to 21-18, but two Pimenta kills and a pair of attack errors made up a 4-0 rush that gave SNHU a commanding 2-0 lead.
- The Penmen led, 18-17, in the third frame when they used a 7-2 spurt – highlighted by two kills each from Bernardis and Arletti – to secure the win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Set scores were 25-22, 25-18, 25-19.
- Sophomore Chiara Di Valerio (Terni, Italy) notched seven digs.
- SNHU outhit Saint Anselm in all three sets, as well as .344-.159, overall.
- The Penmen held advantages in blocks (9-4) and aces (5-3).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire has won 10 of its last 12, including five of six and four straight.
- This marks just the fifth time in program history the Penmen have reached 16 or more wins in a season and the first since 2014 when they finished 17-11.
- SNHU records its first NE10 postseason win in its sixth NE10 Championship appearance. The Penmen, who were hosting an NE10 playoff match for the first time, were 0-5 all-time entering the contest. They advance to their first semifinal and will take on top-seeded American International College (27-2) on Saturday (Nov. 12) at 4 p.m.
- Saint Anselm has won 9 of the last 13 meetings, but SNHU has now captured three of the last four tilts dating back to last season. The was the first postseason match between the two.
- The Penmen earn two points in the Queen City Cup standings with the win and now lead, 11-7, in the battle for Manchester supremacy.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The Penmen take on top-seeded American Int'l in the NE10 Championship semifinals at Butova Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 12 (4 p.m.).
For the latest on Southern New Hampshire University athletics, follow the Penmen via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. You can also sign up to receive text message alerts and e-mail newsletters about your favorite Penmen teams.
