Manchester, N.H. (October 28) -- The Assumption College women's volleyball team dropped a close 3-2 road game at Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday evening. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, the Hounds fell by just two points in the fifth set for the loss. Freshman Stephanie Hawley (Savannah, Ga. / St. Vincent's Academy) led the offense with 10 kills.

With the loss, Assumption falls to 6-13 overall (3-8 NE-10) while the Penmen improve to 14-9 on the season (6-5 NE-10).

The scores for Tuesday evening's sets were as follows: 25-18, 26-24, 13-25, 15-25, 13-15.

The Greyhounds came from behind early in the first set on a five-point service run by senior captain Bizzie Gonring (Whitefish Bay, Wis. / Dominican) to make it 7-5. After a short series of back-and-fourth ties, the Hounds reclaimed the lead and kept it throughout the set to earn a 25-18 win and set the tone for set two.

Set two began similar to the first. The Penmen got out to a small lead before another Gonring service run, sparked by a Hawley kill, gave the Hounds the lead. Assumption did not allow more than three-consecutive points from the Penmen throughout the set but SNHU was able to gain a narrow 22-24 advantage. With Southern New Hampshire on the verge of a match-point, Assumption rallied for a 4-0 run to close the set, earning a 2-0 lead in the match.

In set three, the momentum took a turn. SNHU took a quick 4-0 lead that mounted to a 10-4 edge. Assumption was unable to narrow the deficit, dropping the set 25-13 to force set four.

A 6-0 Penmen run to kick off the fourth set put Assumption behind again before the Hounds threatened a comeback on a 4-0 run with Gonring at the service line. Gonring kicked off the run with a kill, followed by another from freshman setter Kiki Romanik (San Rafael, Calif. / Sir Francis Drake). Senior Ann Donahue (Braintree, Mass. / Braintree) also tallied a kill in the run. Assumption was able to bring the game back within reach (8-11) before the Penmen regained control and ultimately closed the set 25-13.

In the fifth set, the Hounds battled back after an 0-2 start. Assumption tied the score 6-6 before allowing the Penmen to pull out to a 10-6 lead. The Hounds responded with a 5-1 run to tie the score 11-11, then again 13-13, before the Penmen closed with the final two consecutive points for the win.

The Hounds were led by Hawley who notched 10 kills and 15 digs on the day for ninth double-double of the season. Donahue and graduate student Alie Carlson (Amston, Conn. / RHAM) each posted nine kills and two blocks on the evening. 

Romanik tallied 32 assists while continuing her accurate strike streak, going 5-for-13 at the net for a team-high .231 kill percentage. 

Defensively, junior Courtney Bagwell (Diamond Bar, Calif. / Diamond Bar) posted a match-high 26 digs.

The Greyhounds are set to return to action on Friday, Oct. 31, when they travel to Merrimack for a 5 p.m. NE-10 match-up.

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