Kirsten Segaline
Kirsten Segaline

Bentley Goes the Distance for 3-2 Road Win at Pace

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The 21st and 22nd kills of the night by Bentley University sophomore Kirsten Segaline (Scottsdale, Ariz./ Desert Mountain HS) completed a 15-10 win in the fifth set and gave the Falcons a five-set victory over Pace University, the seventh-ranked team in the East Region, in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball Friday at the Goldstein Recreation Center.

Bentley won the three odd-numbered sets with the scores 25-23, 20-25, 25-21, 15-25 and 15-10.

The win lifted Bentley (11-16, 7-6 NE10 into a three-way tie for seventh in the conference heading into Saturday's regular season finale at Adelphi University.ls  It's the first time since the second week in September that the Falcons have won consecutive matches.

Segaline's 22 kills matched her career-high, set Sept. 9 against New York Tech, and she also amassed 14 digs for her seventh double-double. It was one of a number of career- and season-bests for the Falcons with the list also including eight blocks by junior Rachel Bruno (San Diego, Calif./Francis Parker HS), who equaled her career-high in that category.

Three Falcons established new career-highs in digs with junior libero Emily Barthelmes (Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson HS) recording 27, sophomore Mallory Burbage (Bow Mar, Colo./Littleton HS) 25 and freshman Amanda Parker (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North HS) 18. As a team, Bentley had a season-best 98 digs.

Senior setter Krista Campbell (Newtown, Pa./Council Rocks North HS) also came up big for Bentley as she recorded the assist on 50 of the team's 62 kills.

Bruno hit .464 with 15 kills and the Falcons also received 10 kills from junior Mariana Boyer (Arvada, Colo./Bloomfield HS).

The opening set was the only one that went right down to the wire. Bentley, up 24-23, earned set point on a service error.

In the fifth, kills by Bruno and Burbage sparked the visitors to a 3-0 lead. Although the Setters (20-8, 8-5 NE10) drew within one on a couple occasions, Bentley never gave up the advantage.