When and Where: October 3, 2023 – Colchester, Vt. (Ross Sports Center)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 3, Saint Michael's College 1
Records: SNHU 6-7 (1-2 NE10), SMC 2-6 (0-1 NE10)

Redshirt-senior Ana Pimenta (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) notched a double-double of 12 kills and 13 digs, and graduate student Alessandra Peli (Brescia, Italy) matched her career high with 11 kills and set a new career best with eight blocks, to lead the Southern New Hampshire University women's volleyball team to a 3-1 road victory against Saint Michael's College on Tuesday night at the Ross Sports Center.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Pimenta – 12 kills, 13 digs, 6 blocks
• Peli – 11 kills, .429, 1 ace, 8 blocks, 3 digs
• Senior Claire Wohlleber (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) – 8 kills, .375, career-high 5 blocks, 2 digs
• Junior Carmen Bernardis (Trieste, Italy) – 7 kills, 1 ace, 7 digs, 6 blocks
• Freshman Katalin Kovacs (Budapest, Hungary) – 19 assists, 1 ace, 6 digs
• Sophomore Ella Koelb (Auburn, N.H.) – 18 assists, 2 digs, 1 block

KEY MOMENTS

• Southern New Hampshire trailed, 23-21, in the opening set when it ripped off four straight points, highlighted by an ace from junior Chiara Di Valerio (Terni, Italy), to go up, 1-0, in the match.
• The second set was even at 20-all when Saint Michael's used a 5-2 run – with five kills from Beth Syverson – to level the match, 1-1.
• SNHU, which fell behind, 9-3, early in the third, also trailed, 22-18, when a 7-2 spurt – powered by two kills and an ace from Parish and a pair of kills from Peli – put it in front at 25-24. SMC would go up, 27-26, before three straight attack errors gave the Penmen the set and a 2-1 lead.
• The Penmen, who scored the first five points of the final frame, led, 24-22, when the Purple Knights notched three straight to leapfrog in front, 25-24. The set was tied at 25, 26, 27 and 28, before SNHU collected the final two points to take the match.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Set scores were 25-23, 22-25, 29-27, 30-28.
• Freshman Quinlynn Parish (Faribault, Minn.) posted five kills, two aces and six digs.
• Junior Elyeen Dias (Plymouth, Mass.) collected eight digs.
• Junior Deanne Wilson (Buffalo, N.Y.) tallied seven digs and an ace.
• Di Valerio chipped in two kills, an ace and three digs.
• SNHU outhit SMC in the second and fourth sets, as well as .179-.174, overall.
• The Penmen owned a 13-6 advantage in blocks, while the Purple Knights returned the favor in aces (12-7).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire snaps a six-match skid with the victory.
• SNHU, which also defeated Saint Michael's, 3-0, back on Sept. 3, improves to 26-8 all-time against the Purple Knights. The Penmen have captured 15 of 16, including nine straight, against SMC. SNHU had won 25 straight sets against the Purple Knights, who won their first set against the Penmen since Oct. 11, 2016. SNHU has also won three-in-a-row on the road in the series, with Saint Michael's last successfully defending its home court in that Oct. 11, 2016 win (3-1).

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen are back in action Wednesday, Oct. 11 (7 p.m.) when they travel to take on former NE10-foe Stonehill College.
• The next home match for SNHU is Saturday, Oct. 14 (12 p.m.) when it plays host to cross-town rival Saint Anselm College at the Stan Spirou Field House.

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