WALTHAM, Mass. – Stonehill College, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division II East Region, strengthened its hold on first place in the Northeast-10 Conference with a 3-1 win over Bentley University in women's college volleyball Friday night at the Dana Center. The scores were 25-19, 20-25, 25-22 and 25-15.

Bentley, which had its home winning streak halted at 20, could have moved into a first-place tie with a victory but instead finished the night alone in fourth place at 13-10 overall and 8-3 NE10. Stonehill, 20-2 since mid-September, improved to 20-6 overall and 10-1 conference.

In the pivotal third set, with the score deadlocked at 22-all, the Skyhawks took advantage of three straight Bentley attack errors to go up 2-1 in the match.

Stonehill closed out the contest with a 7-0 run in the fourth, a spurt that included two blocks and an ace by the visitors. In the set, the Falcons managed only eight kills and seven errors in 26 swings.

Sophomore Ellie Wheeler (Olathe, Kans./Saint James Academy), junior Ingrid Murphy (Cotuit/Barnstable HS) and senior Amanda Parker (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles HS North) each had double-doubles for Bentley. Wheeler finished with 14 kills, 11 digs and three blocks, and Murphy recorded 13 kills, 12 digs and two blocks. Parker had 13 assists in each of the middle two sets and totaled 38 in the match, along with 12 digs.

Bentley, number seven in the latest NCAA Division II East Region rankings, also received 13 kills from freshman Rachel Vitko (Dover, N.H./Dover HS) and 23 assists from freshman libero Jazzy Burke (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George Central HS).

Stonehill received 15 kills from senior Amy Remick (Chepachet, R.I.), 31 digs from senior Carly Russell (Warrensburg, Mo.) and 11 blocks, including seven made by senior Shannon Burgess (Coconut Creek, Fla.).

Bentley will celebrate Senior Day Saturday before taking on American International at 1:00 pm.