When and Where: September 26, 2023 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Bentleuy University 3, Southern New Hampshire University 1
Records: SNHU 5-6 (0-1 NE10, Bentley 10-3 (1-0 NE10)

Redshirt-senior Ana Pimenta (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) amassed 18 kills on .318 hitting, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's volleyball team opened NE10 play with a 3-1 loss to Bentley University on Tuesday night at the Stan Spirou Field House.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Pimenta – 18 kills, .318, 1 ace, 4 digs, 1 block
• Graduate student Alessandra Peli (Brescia, Italy) – 6 kills, 4 aces, 4 digs, 3 blocks
• Junior Carmen Bernardis (Trieste, Italy) – 7 kills, 7 digs, 3 blocks
• Sophomore Ella Koelb (Auburn, N.H.) – career-high 31 assists, 3 kills, 1 ace, 12 digs
• Junior Deanne Wilson (Buffalo, N.Y.) – 17 digs

KEY MOMENTS

• Bentley led, 20-19, in the first set when it scored five of the last seven points to go up, 1-0, in the match.
• Southern New Hampshire was in front, 11-9, in the second stanza when an 11-3 burst from Bentley put it on top, 20-14. SNHU would not get closer than five the rest of the way.
• The Penmen jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the third and later used a 9-3 run to extend the advantage to 18-9. Bentley would not get closer than six for the remainder of the set.
• SNHU moved out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth, but Bentley countered with a 7-1 run to leapfrog in front, 8-6. It was 11-11 when the Falcons ripped off nine-in-a-row as part of a 13-1 blitz that widened the gap to 24-12.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Set scores were 25-21, 25-19, 17-25, 25-15.
• Graduate student Dai Thawnghmung (Lowell, Mass.) recorded five kills and six digs.
• Sophomore Alexandra Friebolin (Plant City, Fla.) posted four kills on .375 hitting, to go with three blocks.
• Junior Elyeen Dias (Plymouth, Mass.) chipped in six digs.
• Bentley outhit SNHU in the first and third sets, as well as .252-.177, overall.
• The Falcons held a 9-7 edge in aces, while SNHU owned a 6-4 advantage in blocks.

NOTES

• After beginning the season 5-1, Southern New Hampshire has lost five straight.
• SNHU falls to 4-1 at home this season and is 14-2 at the Field House over the last two years.
• Bentley has won 12 of the last 15 meetings, including seven of the last nine. The Falcons, who recorded a three-set, non-conference victory at home against SNHU on Saturday, have now won two-in-a-row against the Penmen in Manchester, last losing there Oct. 9, 2018 (3-0).

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen are back in action Saturday, Sept. 29 (1 p.m.) when they play host to the University of New Haven at the Stan Spirou Field House.

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