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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England found itself in six ties during the deciding set but never trailed, escaping with a 3-2 women's volleyball win (25-20, 19-25, 25-17, 18-25, 15-13) over Bates College on Saturday (Sep. 27) at Coach Beaudry's Court inside the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Nor'easters (6-7) now have a pair of five-set successes against the Bobcats (6-4) this season, following up a reverse sweep when the teams met last year.

On four occasions, UNE led by three points in the 5th (including 3-0 and 10-7) [Watch 2-0, Watch 5-3], but things were knotted at 11-all when Kendall Gallaugher registered a kill. A service error erased that edge, only to see Bates return the favor before an Ami Evans kill to even it at 13-13. That's when Ellijah Hanley and Chloe Miracle thumped winners to seal it for the home squad [Watch 15-13].

Hannah Nowell topped a balanced Nor'easter attack with 13 kills, and Kailyn Reilly contributed 11 behind a .435 hitting percentage. Hanley and Miracle (.310) both added 10, and Gallagher tallied nine (.467). Between Reilly, Miracle, and Gallagher, there were just four errors on swings during the evening.

The offense received assisting support from Hayley Shult (22), Abby Zamora (18), and Kelsey Bradshaw (9). Gallagher tacked on four points from the service line, while Reilly and Miracle stood tall for solo blocks. Defensively, Bradshaw had 19 digs, Miracle picked up a career-high 18, and Hanley was also in double figures with 11.

Jaime Bartley-Cohen, Sofia Castiglioni, and Evans combined evenly for 37 kills for Bates, and Lauren Croom framed 40 assists. Ellie Asada controlled 30 digs on the back end, with another 17 from Bartley-Cohen. Castiglioni also dropped in four aces.

In the 1st, Miracle capped a 10-2 stretch for the hosts with a winner at 19-12 [Watch], but the Nor'easters needed a Kenzie Cleary kill to halt a string of four in-a-row by Bates at 20-16 [Watch]. Ultimately, after the visitors closed to within two (22-20), Reilly finished the set for UNE [Watch].

The Bobcats turned in a 10-2 run of their own to take control in the 2nd (16-9), only to see UNE bounce back with a 5-0 start to the 3rd. The Nor'easters never let Bates level the score, and claimed a long rally with a Nowell kill at 24-16 [Watch] to keep the visitors from assembling any late momentum.

UNE will entertain Curry College in a Conference of New England (CNE) date on Tuesday (7 p.m.).