When and Where: October 21, 2023 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 3, Franklin Pierce University 0
Records: SNHU 9-8 (3-2 NE10), FPU 6-7 (1-4 NE10)

Sophomore Ella Koelb (Auburn, N.H.) dished 34 assists to lead the Southern New Hampshire University women's volleyball team to a 3-0 triumph over in-state rival Franklin Pierce University on Saturday afternoon at the Stan Spirou Field House.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Koelb – 3 kills, 34 assists, 1 ace, 4 blocks, 4 digs
• Graduate student Dai Thawnghmung (Lowell, Mass.) – 11 kills, (.429), 1 block, 9 digs.
• Redshirt-senior Ana Pimenta (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) – 10 kills, 3 aces, 1 block, 7 digs
• Junior Carmen Bernardis (Trieste, Italy) – 8 kills, 1 ace, 1 block, 5 digs
• Sophomore Alexandra Friebolin (Plant City, Fla.) – 7 kills (.583), 3 blocks
• Junior Deanne Wilson (Buffalo, N.Y.) – 3 assists, 12 digs

KEY MOMENTS

• Southern New Hampshire led, 20-16, in the opening set when a kill and service ace from graduate student Alessandra Peli (Brescia, Italy) sparked a 5-2 run that put the Penmen up, 1-0, in the match. Pimenta added a pair of kills during the stretch, while a Friebolin kill ended the set.
• SNHU held a 16-13 advantage in the second stanza when another Peli kill triggered an 8-0 rush – powered by a pair of aces from sophomore Laura Haas (Londonderry, N.H.) and two kills from Pimenta – that extended the lead to 24-13. After three straight points by the Ravens, a Koelb kill made it 2-0.
• The Penmen kicked off the final frame on a 10-3 run, with Thawnghmung tallying a pair of kills. FPU would climb back within 14-9, but a 7-0 blitz – buoyed by two aces and a kill from Pimenta – gave the hosts a commanding, 21-9 lead, and the Ravens would not get closer than eight the rest of the way.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Set scores were 25-18, 25-16, 25-15.
• Peli posted three kills, an ace and four blocks.
• Haas chipped in a pair of aces.
• Junior Chiara Di Valerio (Terni, Italy) collected five digs.
• SNHU outhit Franklin Pierce in all three sets, including .282-.053, overall.
• The Penmen owned advantages in blocks (7-4) and aces (9-1).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire has won four of its last five matches.
• Southern New Hampshire has now won five of the last seven meetings with Franklin Pierce, including three-in-a-row at home. The last time the Ravens came into the Field House and left with a win was Sept. 20, 2016 (3-0).

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen are back in action Friday, Oct. 27 (7 p.m.) when they take on Southern Connecticut State University.
• The next home match for SNHU is Friday, Nov. 3 (5 p.m.) when it plays host to Pace University at the Stan Spirou Field House.

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