COLCHESTER, Vt. -- Senior Alaura Berry (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo HS) led Bentley University on both attack and on defense as the Falcons defeated St. Michael's College in three closely-played sets Friday night in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball at the Ross Sports Center. Scores were 25-22, 29-27 and 25-23.

Berry recorded season-bests in both hitting percentage (.600) and blocks (7), and matched her season-high in kills with 13.

After prevailing in a match that saw 23 ties and 11 lead changes, Bentley improved to 3-1 in the conference and evened its record at 6-6 overall. St. Michael's dropped to 5-4 overall and 2-1 NE-10.

All three matches were tied late, with the first even at 22 apiece, the second at 27 all, and the third at 23-23.

Bentley claimed the lead in set one on a St. Michael's attack error and went up 24-22 on Berry's third kill of the opening set. A block by senior setter Kelly Mee (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock North HS) finished it and put the visitors up 1-0.

Berry broke the 27-27 tie in the second set with a kill and combined with freshman Ashley Ahearn (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield HS) for a set-ending block.

In the third, after the Purple Knights scored three straight points to forge a tie at 23, Mee and Berry provided kills to close out the match.

Also registering double figures in kills were seniors Morgan O'Laughlin (Hollister, Calif./San Benito HS) and Andrea Farah (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS), with 11 and 10, respectively. Mee accumulated 45 assists and nine digs, and both senior Maitlyn Kraft (New Braunfels, Texas/St. Mary's Hall) and junior Virginia Wong (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy HS) made 20 digs.

Sara Reney (Sunapee, N.H.), a senior, led St. Michael's with 10 kills.

Bentley will be off until a Tuesday night home meeting with Stonehill (7:00 pm).

Bentley def. Saint Michael's 25-22,29-27,25-23

Bentley (6-6, 3-1 NE-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alaura Berry 13-0-7;   Morgan O'Laughlin 11-0-1; Andrea Farah 10-2-2; Bridget Lawson 7-0-0;   Ashley Ahearn 7-0-1; Kelly Mee 2-0-3; Maitlyn Kraft 1-0-0; Kristina Wilson 0-2-0; Totals 51-4-8.0. (Assists) - Kelly Mee 45. (Dig leaders)   - Virginia Wong 20; Maitlyn Kraft 20; Kelly Mee 9

Saint Michael's (5-4, 2-1 NE-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Sara Reney   10-0-0; Katie Walsh 9-1-0; Lindsey Frazier 7-0-1; Chelsey Covitz  7-0-2; Tracy Peterka 7-0-0; Jessica McLeod 2-0-1; Courtney Dunne  0-2-0; Totals 42-3-3.0. (Assists) - Jessica McLeod 30. (Dig leaders) -   Courtney Dunne 15; Jessica McLeod 9

Site: Colchester, Vt. (Ross Sports Center)

Date: 09/24/10       Attend: 120   Time: 1:24   

Referees: Sue Rathman, Kyle Fennell