GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- Sophomore Bridget Lawson (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West HS) had a career-high 14 kills and five blocks, and senior Kelly Mee (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock North HS) amassed a season-best 51 assists, as Bentley University battled from behind for a 3-2 victory over Adelphi University in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball Friday evening at the Center for Recreation and Sport.

Bentley improved to 12-11 overall and 5-3 in the NE-10 with the 15-25, 25-17, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13 victory.  Adelphi, which had been undefeated at home this fall, suffered just its second loss in eight conference matches and dropped to 12-7 overall.

After a rough opening set and a slow start to the second set (deficits of 10-4 and 14-9), Bentley turned the set, and match, around by running off nine unanswered points to grab a 18-14 lead. Lawson had three kills during the flurry and senior Morgan O'Laughlin (Hollister, Calif./San Benito HS) was the server during the run.

The Panthers bounced back and pulled out a 25-23 victory in the third, but Bentley came back to take the fourth by the same tally, forcing a decisive fifth set. In the fourth, with the score even at 23, an O'Laughlin kill put the Falcons in front and a block by O'Laughlin and Lawson finished the set.

The finale was tied at 11 before Bentley ran off three straight points, on consecutive kills by seniors Alaura Berry (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo HS) and Andrea Farah (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS) and an Adelphi attack error. The Panthers came back with the next two points before Berry notched her 10th kill of the night to claim the match for Bentley. Berry, on pace to break the Bentley career hitting percentage record, swung at a .450 success rate with only one error in 20 attacks.

Mee did an excellent job at distributing the ball with four different players recording double-digits in kills. In addition to Lawson and Berry, Farah and O'Laughlin had 12 and 11, respectively. Each of the latter two had double-doubles on the night with O'Laughlin's line including 12 digs and a .348 hitting mark and Farah providing 16 digs and four blocks. They were just the second and third double-doubles posted by Bentley players this season.

Mee, in addition to the assists, provided five kills (in seven attempts), seven digs and two blocks. Senior Maitlyn Kraft (New Braunfels, Texas/St. Mary's Hall) led the Falcons in digs with 17.

For Adelphi, senior Hilary Pavels (North Woodmere, N.Y.) finished with 16 kills and classmate Heather Mau (Honolulu, Hawaii) made 29 digs.

Bentley remains in the Empire State to take on Pace University Saturday at noon.

Bentley def. Adelphi 15-25,25-17,23-25,25-23,15-13

Bentley (12-11, 5-3 NE-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Bridget Lawson 14-0-5; Andrea Farah 12-1-4; Morgan O'Laughlin 11-1-1; Alaura Berry 10-0-4; Ashley Ahearn 8-0-2; Kelly Mee 5-0-2; Virginia Wong 1-1-0;

Totals 61-3-10.0. (Assists) - Kelly Mee 51. (Dig leaders) - Maitlyn Kraft 17; Andrea Farah 16; Virginia Wong 13; Morgan O'Laughlin 12

Adelphi (12-7, 6-2 NE-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hilary Pavels 16-2-0; Emily Dorko 10-0-0; Chelsea Overholt 10-1-0; Patawe Simms 10-0-0; Samantha Rico 9-0-1; Katie Bryson 2-2-1; Alexandra Kahen 0-1-0; Totals 57-6-1.0. (Assists) - Katie Bryson 42. (Dig leaders) - Heather Mau 29; Hilary Pavels 12

Site: Garden City, N.Y. (CRS)

Date: 10/15/10       Attend: 113   Time: 1:47