Boston, Mass. - September 26, 2015 - Fueled by 11 kills from senior right side Kelsey McGayhey (Shelter Island, N.Y.) and seven from junior middle blocker Lauren Holt (Granby, Conn.), the Springfield College women's volleyball team picked up its third-straight win over Emerson, 3-0, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Pride is now 12-2 overall, and 4-1 in conference play, while the Lions fall to 6-6 overall, and 1-3 against NEWMAC opponents. In the latest New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Division III Regional Rankings, Springfield was the fourth-ranked team in the region coming into this afternoon's contest.

Along with the combined 18 kills from McGayhey and Holt, sophomore Kayleigh Helgesen (Oceanside, Calif.) posted six kills on 15 swings, while senior Elise Brogan (Andover, Mass.) finished with five kills of her own on 10 swings. Holt also posted a match-high nine blocks, including four solo blocks in the win.

Graduate student Molly Giannattasio (East Lyme, Conn.) and junior Marnae Mawdsley (Bolton, Conn.) combined for 30 assists in the win, while freshman Hannah Lozano (Stockton, Calif.) notched 18 digs to help pace the Pride to victory. Junior Jennifer Hurwitz (Longmeadow, Mass.) registered four kills and picked up 13 digs on the afternoon. For Emerson, Kelley Guerra (Randolph, N.J.) and Brittany Schoellkopf (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) both had five put aways, while Elaine Nichols (Bountiful, Utah) had a match-high 20 assists in the loss.

With the score at three points apiece in the first set, Springfield went on a 7-2 run, capped by a kill from freshman Hayley Kmetz (Ardsley, N.Y.)to give the Pride an early 10-5 advantage. With the score at 13-9 in favor of Springfield, the Pride rattled off seven-straight points, before a kill from McGayhey gave the maroon and white a 21-10 lead late in the first frame. Springfield closed out the set, 25-12 following an Emerson service error.

In the second stanza, Springfield jumped out to another early lead, as a kill from Holt made it 8-4, before Emerson went on a 7-3 run to cut its deficit to one. After an Emerson service error made it 12-10, Springfield, the Pride went on an 9-3 run, finished by a kill from Holt to make it 21-13. After the Lions stormed back to make it a two-point set, McGayhey finished off the second with a kill to put the Pride up 2-0 in the match.

Emerson started the third set with a 10-6 advantage following a kill from Fara Cohen (Morristown, N.J.), but Springfield responed, going on a 8-2 run, finished with a pair of kills from McGayhey to make it 14-12, Pride. After Springfield took a 20-16 lead following a kill from Helgesen, the Pride picked up three-straight points, before Brogan capped off the frame with a kill to give Springfield the win.