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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Ellijah Hanley and Kailyn Reilly combined for 34.5 points to fuel the University of New England in a 3-1 triumph (25-18, 25-19, 19-25, 28-26) against Roger Williams University as the Conference of New England (CNE) women's volleyball schedule wrapped up at Coach Beaudry's Court inside the Harold Alfond Forum on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 9).

The teams will reconvene in Rhode Island on Tuesday for the opening round of the CNE Championship. The Nor'easters (19-6, 5-4 CNE) finish in a three-way tie for fourth place in the league standings, however, with head-to-head setbacks to the other two institutions, will settle on the No.6 line for the tournament. Despite the loss, the Hawks (16-11, 6-3) will be the No.3 seed.

The winning ledger in conference play for UNE is the program's first since 2013. The overall total of 19 victories is now just one shy of matching the most in a campaign over the past 25 years.

Hanley continued her torrid play for the Nor'easters, racking up a match-best 16 kills (.382 efficiency), including three consecutive to rally UNE from a 26-25 deficit in the 4th set to finish off the win [Watch 26-28]. The outside hitter has registered double digits in kills in six of the last seven outings.
 
Reilly was instrumental in the victory, finishing with eight kills (.467 attack percentage), four solo blocks (6 total), and a pair of service aces. Viktoria Pavlyuk and Hannah Nowell each had seven kills and combined for 40 defensive digs. Nowell's total of 22 established a career mark for the sophomore.

UNE also benefited from strong performances by Kelsey Bradshaw and Hayley Shult. Bradshaw contributed team highs in digs (25) and aces (4), while Shult had a double-double of 34 assists and 12 digs.

Brianna Picchetti had 13 kills to pace the Hawks' attack. Angela West figured in six of Roger Williams 11 blocks on the day, while Marianna Hernandez dug out 25 balls.

After trading several four- or five-point runs during the 1st set, the Nor'easters notched the last seven to win by seven. As UNE started to distance itself, Reilly's second solo block made it 22-18 [Watch], and then kills by Reilly, Hanley, and Reilly capped the session [Watch 24 & 25].

The hosts took advantage of 13 RWU miscues and never trailed in the 2nd, but then the Hawks jumped out to a 7-1 cushion and led the entire way through the 3rd to stay alive.

UNE bounced back nicely in the 4th, and a kill from Hanley at 12-9 [Watch] sparked a stretch that culminated at 21-12 with a rejection by Reilly [Watch]. However, from 22-13, Roger Williams rattled off 10 of the next 11 to knot the score at 23-all, and Picchietti's seventh kill of the period (17 errorless attempts) saved a match-point moments later to force volleyball's version of overtime (24-all). The Hawks survived another potential clinching point on the UNE side, and moved ahead with an ace (26-25), only to see Hanley swoop in to seal it.

Hanley posted six winners on 11 clean swings in what proved to be the deciding frame. Along the back line, Bradshaw, Pavlyuk, and Nowell amassed 11, 10, and eight digs, respectively.

Tuesday's opening-round match-up will mark the first time the two squads have met in postseason play since the 2016 season. That year, No.7 UNE stunned the second-seeded Hawks, 3-1.
 

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Taressa Szewczyk