Box Score BIDDEFORD, Maine--Junior Olivia Lathrop spiked a Commonwealth Coast Conference career-high 14 kills to lead all players, and sophomore setters Jessica Sincero and Jenna Leuck directed the offense with 17 and 16 assists, respectively, to lead the Western New England University women's volleyball team to a 25-20, 13-25, 25-15, 25-18 victory at the University of New England at Harold Alfond Forum on Saturday. The Golden Bears won their season-high fifth-straight match to improve to 13-4 overall and 2-0 in the CCC, while the host Nor'easters dip to 3-9 and 1-1 in the conference.

Leah Janelle (.270) led Big Blue with 12 kills while Grayson Szczepaniak had a .429 attack percentage on 11 kills in 21 swings with two errors, and freshman Courtney Lambrese chipped in with nine kills. Brooke Gibbons made a match-best 32 assists. Sophomore Nikki Mathewson registered a match-best 17 digs.

Things were close early on in the opening frame before UNE pulled out to a 14-10 cushion. Western New England drew even at 15-all, and play was still tied (19-19) until the visitors took six of the final seven points to secure the set.

In the second, the Nor'easters quickly turned a 2-1 deficit into a 14-4 lead and never looked back on the way to a 12-point decision. The hosts hit .476 in the stanza with zero attacking errors.

The Golden Bears got off to a 6-1 start in the third frame, only to see Big Blue level the set at 12-all. Western New England regained control with an 8-0 run, which included three of Lathrop's five kills in the period.

In the final fourth set, the score was locked at 10-10 when WNE took advantage for good with a 5-0 spurt. UNE closed to with one (17-16), but the Golden Bears closed out the match with eight of the next 10 points. Lathrop had two kills and senior Kasey Cameron (8 kills, 15 digs, 3 blocks) served up one of her three aces of the match down the stretch.

Western New England hits the court again on Tuesday (7 p.m.) when it travels to Willimantic, Conn., to face Eastern Connecticut State in a non-conference match-up. On the same day and at the same time, the Nor'easters head for Gordon College to continue their CCC schedule.