Smith Tallies Career-High 21 Kills in 3-2 Win at UMass Lowell

Friday, September 22

Lowell, MA

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

4-8, 0-0AE

University of Massachusetts Lowell

5-10, 0-0AE

New Hampshire

UMass Lowell

Photo by: Greg Greene

Smith Tallies Career-High 21 Kills in 3-2 Win at UMass Lowell

9/22/2017 10:49:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

LOWELL, Mass. -- Kennedi Smith (The Woodlands, Texas) recorded a career-high 21 kills to lead the University of New Hampshire volleyball team to Friday night's 3-2 comeback victory against UMass Lowell at Costello Athletic Center.

The set scores were 19-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 15-10.

UNH won its fourth consecutive match to improve to 6-9 overall and 1-0 in America East. UMass Lowell is now 3-9, 0-1.

Smith recorded a double-double for the third straight match with 21 kills and 10 digs. She has a team-high six double-doubles this season.

Emma Patlovich (Lake Bluff, Ill.) tallied her second career double-double with 35 assists – one less than her personal best – and 10 digs, and Logan Welti (Middleton, Wis.) matched her career high of 21 digs.

Up Next

New Hampshire returns to the road next weekend for conference games against the University at Albany (Sept. 29; 7 p.m.) and Binghamton University (Oct. 1; 1 p.m.).
The Wildcats' next home game is Oct. 6 (7 p.m.) vs. Stony Brook University.

UNH		UML
55	Kills	61
26	Errors	30
.182	Hitting Pct.	.187
54	Assists	59
8 / 5	Aces / Serve Errors	6 / 10
69	Digs	68
7	Blocks	15

TOP 'CATS

Kennedi Smith: 21 kills, .269 hitting percentage, 10 digs
Emma Patlovich: 35 assists, 10 digs
Gabri Olhava (Mount Prospect, Ill.): 12 kills, .280 hitting percentage
Logan Welti: 21 digs

THE DIFFERENCE

With UNH trailing 2-1 in sets and 19-18 in Set 4, Emily Tanski (Plymouth, Mich.) ignited a 4-0 run with a kill, block and service ace to give the Wildcats a 22-19 lead. The Wildcats went on to win the set, 25-22, to force a decisive Set 5.
New Hampshire carried that momentum into the fifth set and roared out to a 9-2 lead. The River Hawks chipped away and closed within 14-10 before another Tanski kill ended the match.

SET 1

UML rolled out to a 10-2 before UNH won four consecutive points to trim the deficit to 10-6.
The 'Cats closed within two points four times before the home team won three straight points to extend the lead to 18-13.
The River Hawks kept UNH at arm's length the rest of the way and closed Set 1 on a 4-1 run.

SET 2

Leading 8-7, the Wildcats won five of the next six points to built a 13-8 lead.
New Hampshire slowly continued to extend the lead and held a 22-14 advantage.
UMass Lowell fended off three set points to close within 24-19 but a kill by Molly Wotton (Dover, N.H.) ended the set and leveled the match at one set apiece.

SET 3

Undeterred, UMass Lowell built an early 4-1 lead in the third set and UNH pulled even the rest of the way.
The River Hawks did not pull away, however, as the 'Cats closed within one point four times, including 23-22 and 24-23. Grace Burkett's kill on the next point gave UML the set, 25-23, and a 2-1 lead in the match.

SET 4

New Hampshire took an early 6-3 lead, and UMass Lowell eventually pulled even at 13.
UNH regained the lead, 15-13, but the River Hawks answered with a 6-2 run to surge back in front, 19-18.
That's when consecutive kills by Tanski and Smith, followed by a combined block by Tanksi and Olhava and Tanski's ace put the 'Cats back in front, 22-19.
UML didn't get closer than to points the rest of the set.

SET 5

Tanski's kill and a UML ball handling error quickly gave UNH a 2-0 lead.
Leading 4-2, the Wildcats reeled off five consecutive points to take a commanding 9-2 lead.
The advantage grew to as many as nine points, 13-4 before the home team went on a 4-0 spurt to close within 13-8.
Smith's kill advanced the 'Cats to match point. The River Hawks won the next two points before Tanski ended the set and match with her fifth kill of the night.

UNH NOTEBOOK

New Hampshire improved to 2-1 in five-set matches this year.
UNH won the fourth set for the first time this season; they had lost all previous seven Set 4's.
The Wildcats have won all 10 lifetime meetings against UMass Lowell and that includes nine matches since the River Hawks elevated to D-I and joined America East in 2013.

For the most up-to-date information on the volleyball team, visit UNHWildcats.com. For additional information on the UNH volleyball team, like the squad on Facebook or follow the 'Cats on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @UNHVOLLEYBALL.