Grace Conner
Grace Conner

Bentley Falls to New Haven, 3-0, in Season-Finale as Chargers Improve to 24-1

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Bentley University put up a strong effort in the first two sets, but saw its season come to an end with a 3-0 loss to regular season champion and once-beaten University of New Haven in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball Friday night at the Charger Gymnasium. Scores were 25-22, 25-23 and 25-15.

The Falcons jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the opening set and after falling behind by as many as six, came back to even the score at 22-all on a kill by senior co-captain Grace Conner (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS).

Back-to-back aces by New Haven's Keidy Candelaria (Vega Baja, P.R.) put the Chargers back in control, and a kill by freshman Kristen Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo.) accounted for the final point.

The second set was closely played the teams rarely separated by more than two points. The 15th tie of the set came at 23, and as was the case in the previous one, New Haven was able to finish. A Bentley attack error put the Chargers in front and Candelaria's kill made it a 2-0 match.

A 6-1 run early in the third made it a 13-6 New Haven lead and the Chargers went on to complete a perfect 15-0 run through the conference schedule while improving to 24-1 overall.

Sophomore Tatiana Froehlich (Newton, Mass./Newton North HS) led Bentley with ten kills and Conner followed with eight while hitting .353 in her final match in a Falcon uniform. Freshman Kyana Miller (San Diego, Calif./Canyon Crest Acad.) provided 27 assists, and classmate Jessica Segal (West Harrison, N.Y./Harrison HS) served four aces.

Candelaria, a senior, and Lee led 24-1 New Haven with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, with Candelaria also contributing four aces. Lee had an outstanding hitting night, finishing at .563 with only one error in 16 swings.

Bentley concluded the year at 11-19 overall and 6-9 NE-10.