On Saturday afternoon in the Spaulding Gymnasium, Keene State stormed back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Regis in a thrilling five-set match, which ended 3-2. With the win, Keene State improved to 10-11 on the season, while Regis fell to 13-10.
Before the match began, Keene State celebrated its senior day and honored the seniors who have devoted their time to the program and KSC as a whole. The team celebrated senior captains Gigi Stake, Annaliese Rudberg and Grace Christian.
Keene State came out strong in the first set, hitting an impressive .353 while limiting Regis to 15 points. However, Regis responded by taking sets two and three, fueled by an inspired performance from Beatriz Paulo, who had 12 kills, 15 digs and Eva Catalanotto with 11 kills, four blocks. Regis’ defense also looked good, tallying nine team blocks and 81 digs, with Avery Mola leading the back row with 21 digs.
Facing adversity, the Owls turned up the heat in the fourth set, hitting .318 and getting key offensive contributions from Stake, who finished with 18 kills and 16 digs, and junior outside hitter Colleen Fraser, who had 10 kills, 3 blocks. Junior setter Alexis Small led the offense with 27 assists and added four aces and 15 digs in a standout all-around effort.
In a tense fifth set, Keene State held on due to a negative hitting percentage from Regis of -.125. The Owls edged out a 15-13 win to seal the comeback victory.
This match showcased two teams in a back-and-forth contest full of grit, hustle and intense moments. Keene State’s key to their victory was their hitting percentage, compared to Regis’ .200 to .114.
The Owls will head to Rhode Island College to face the conference opponent in hopes of climbing the Little East Conference. The match will be on Saturday, Oct. 25, in Providence, Rhode Island.
Jonathan Smyers can be contacted at
