Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England won a five-set match for the second time in as many outings, defeating Gordon College, 3-2 (25-10, 23-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-9), for a Conference of New England (CNE) women's volleyball triumph at Coach Beaudry's Court inside the Harold Alfond Forum on Tuesday night (Oct. 1).

The Nor'easters (12-3, 1-1 CNE) are now 3-1 going the distance this season, the most fifth-set wins since 2019, when the program last captured two in-a-row and totaled four on the year. The result also snapped a four-game skid against the Fighting Scots (5-7, 1-1), during which UNE claimed two sets.

Ellijah Hanley paced the hosts with the second-highest kills total (27) over the last 22 years, and Kassidy Bradshaw dropped in 10 aces for the program's most during a five-setter in the same span. Hanley reached her total with .388 hitting efficiency. Viktoria Pavlyuk added 16 kills and Hannah Nowell contributed eight, many off of the 47 assists by Bradshaw.

With 21 digs, Bradshaw dialed up UNE's first triple-double since setter Sydney Christiansen in 2019 (31 assists, 11 kills, 10 digs). It marked the 52nd triple-double in Division III this season, and just the second with the statistical combination of assists, digs, and aces.

Kelsey Bradshaw corralled 27 digs to lead the back-line effort, and tacked on seven assists. Nowell also had 14 digs and four service winners, which were part of the season-best 19 aces recorded by the Nor'easters.

UNE blitzed Gordon with 10 aces in the 1st set, alone. Entering the week, the Nor'easters ranked 9th in the country with 3.25 aces per set. The home squad led for the entire opening stanza, siding out at 90 percent and attacking at a .360 clip, and won by a lopsided 15 points [Watch 11 / 17 / 23-25]. Hanley had five kills, Pavlyuk notched four on four swings, and Ka.Bradshaw supplied four aces with a solo block. 
 
After a quick start (5-1) to the 2nd, UNE trailed at 6-5, but then rattled off a 15-5 run to assume a 20-11 advantage -- with Hanley's kills already in double digits [Watch 13 / 21]. However, things shifted dramatically as 11 of the next 13 went for the Fighting Scots, including three aces and four UNE miscues. A Pavlyuk kill gave the hosts a 23-22 edge, briefly, because three straight kills by Joey Keltner put Gordon on the overall scoreboard. Keltner tallied seven winners and hit .500 in the frame.

The Nor'easters were down by as many as six (10-4) in the 3rd, but a pair of kills from Hanley had things level at 18-all. While one of Bradshaw's aces moved UNE ahead at 22-21 [Watch 21-22], soon a kill from Annie Murphy had Gordon on the verge of the lead. Murphy and Teagan Brideweser, who factored in almost all of the Scots' 11 blocks, then combined to shut the door on the session with one.

Two kills from Pavlyuk followed by two more out of Hanley made it 9-8 in the 4th, and UNE stayed in front for the remainder of the set. Moments later, Hanley added three more to make it 13-10 -- in the session, Hanley amassed seven kills on eight attempts (.875). The score was 19-18 when the Nor'easters closed with a 6-2 stretch, getting kills from Kendall Gallaugher, Nowell, Kailyn Reilly, and Ke.Bradshaw to help force a 5th period [Watch 25].

UNE overcame early deficits in the deciding set (4-1, 6-4) to lead at 9-6. A kill from Hanley and Gallaugher/Hanley kept the hosts on top (11-8), before a spike by Hanley [Watch 12], Ka.Bradshaw's last two aces, and a stuff by Hanley/Gallaugher sealed the result [Watch 14-15].
 
In the end for Gordon, Keltner and Murphy each put up 13 kills with the assistance of 34 helpers from the hands of Annika Schmitt and Olivia Fleming. Schmitt contributed another 14 digs on the defensive side of things; Aba Asante guided the visitors with 16 in the category.

The Nor'easters stay at home and will entertain Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Saturday (5 p.m.) during UNE's Homecoming Weekend.