WALTHAM, Mass. -- Senior middle blocker Alaura Berry (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo HS) had half of her team-high ten kills in the clinching fourth set as Bentley University won for the fourth time in its last five matches, 3-1 over American International College in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball Tuesday evening at the Dana Center.

Berry achieved her 10 kills without an error and in addition to swinging at a .400 clip, was involved in half of the Falcons' eight blocks.

The 25-21, 30-28, 19-25, 25-18 victory boosted Bentley to 2-0 in the conference and 4-3 overall.  AIC dropped to 1-1 in the NE-10 and fell under .500 overall, at 5-6.

The first two sets were both closely played with eight ties in the first and 13 in the second before Bentley put them away. Senior outside hitter Andrea Farah (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS) had five kills in the first to pace the Falcons, and in the second, consecutive kills by freshman outside hitter Ashley Ahearn (Marshfield/Marshfield HS) broke a 28-all tie.

In the third, Bentley overcame a five-point deficit to claim a 19-18 lead on a Yellow Jacket attack error.  However, that would be the Falcons' final point of the set as AIC ran off six in a row to make it a 2-1 match.

The fourth was tied at 17-17 before Bentley took control with four unanswered points. That flurry included kills by Berry, freshman Kristina Wilson (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River HS) and Ahearn.

Ahearn and Farah each followed Berry in kills, both making nine. Senior setter Kelly Mee (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock North HS) registered 31 assists and classmate Maitlyn Kraft (New Braunfels, Texas/St. Mary's Hall) made 26 digs.

Junior Taila de Souza (Cunupia, Trinidad and Tobago) led AIC with 17 kills, and setter Kervelle Redhead (St. James, Trinidad and Tobago) provided 32 assists, 10 digs, three kills and two aces.

Bentley's seven-match homestand continues Friday with the Falcons facing Dowling College (7 pm) in the first match of the two-day Northeast-10/East Coast Conference Challenge.

Bentley def. American Int'l. 25-21,30-28,19-25,25-18

American Int'l. (5-6, 1-1 NE-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Taila de Souza 17-0-2; Siri Ngundam 10-0-0; Keziah Kashouh 9-2-3; Blair Havron 4-0-3; Kambryn Williams 3-1-2; Kervelle Redhead 3-2-0; Darsel Springer 2-0-0; Ellisha Terry 2-3-0; Caitlin Connelly 1-0-0; Erica Stoddard 0-2-0; Totals 51-10-6.0. (Assists) - Kervelle Redhead 32. (Dig leaders) - Caitlin Connelly 28; Ellisha Terry 12; Taila de Souza 10; Kambryn Williams 10; Kervelle Redhead 10

Bentley (4-3, 2-0 NE-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alaura Berry 10-0-4; Ashley Ahearn 9-0-2; Andrea Farah 9-0-0; Kelly Mee 5-1-2; Grace Conner 5-0-4; Morgan O'Laughlin 4-0-3; Maitlyn Kraft 2-0-0; Kristina Wilson 1-1-0; Virginia Wong 1-0-0; Totals 46-2-8.0. (Assists) - Kelly Mee 31. (Dig leaders) - Maitlyn Kraft 26; Andrea Farah 12; Virginia Wong 11; Kristina Wilson 9

Site: Waltham, Mass. (Dana Center)

Date: Sep 14, 2010   Attend: 75   Time: 1:40   

Referees: Diane Beauchamp, Joyce Skiff