SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 29, 2025) – The Western New England women's volleyball team took the third set to go up 2-1 in the match on Wednesday night but saw the Pride from Regis College bounce back to take the fourth set with ease, then finish out the match with a fifth and final set victory, 15-10, dropping the Golden Bears in their final non-conference game of the regular season.

Records:

• Western New England: 9-16
• Regis College: 14-12

How it Happened:

First Set:

• A slow start for the Golden Bears saw Regis earn the first four points of the match, including a pair of kills from Bella Karpicz to open the set. Leah Warren got WNE on the scoreboard with a kill, while back-to-back service aces from Laney Melvin got the Golden Bears within one, 4-3. Western New England's first lead of the set came on a combined block from Rachel Critz and Madison Stauss, giving the blue and gold a 9-8 lead.
• The Pride fought back for the next four points and took a four-point advantage following a block from Karpicz and Grace Fabiano, giving Regis a 16-12 lead. Western New England fought back with six of the next seven points and ten of the next 12 overall. Critz earned a pair of kills while Léa Barber and Charlei Henkel added kills for the Golden Bears, giving the blue and gold a 22-18 advantage.
• Up four, the Golden Bears saw Regis put down the next six points, getting the set to set point, 24-22. Western New England still had fight left in them, as Regis notched two attacking errors on set point to tie the score, 24-24. The Pride had the next point on a kill, but the final three points of the set saw Henkel and Warren drop in kills, and another Regis error gave Western New England a 27-25 victory and a 1-0 lead in the match.
  • The thrilling opening set saw WNE hit .273, picking up 13 kills. Regis had 11 kills but made nine errors at the net.

Second Set:

• Western New England jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the second set, with Léa Barber and Leah Warren picking up kills on service from Laney Melvin. Regis quickly had an answer, going on a run of eight of the next nine points to flip the lead in favor of the Pride — a lead they would not relinquish.
• Through the midway point of the set, Regis took a 16-11 lead before kills from Adrionne Sharp and Rachel Critz brought WNE back within four, but that would be as close as the Golden Bears got, as Regis closed out the set 25-18 to even the match at one.
• Eight attacking errors doomed WNE in the set, putting down just nine kills. Regis picked up 12 kills and hit .269 for the frame.

Third Set:

• The Golden Bears bounced back in the third set to take a two-sets-to-one lead. Charlei Henkel dropped a service ace to open the set, while Morgan Bonin and Madison Stauss each added kills, giving WNE an early 6-2 lead.
• Regis tied the match at eight following four kills and an ace. The match stayed close through the midway point as the Golden Bears looked to make a run. Henkel picked up back-to-back kills with the score at 17-15 in favor of WNE, giving the Golden Bears a 19-15 lead.
• Regis picked up three points late in the set, but it wasn't enough, as Léa Barber ended the frame with a kill on an assist from Stauss, giving Western New England a 25-23 win and a 2-1 lead in the match. WNE hit a season-best .405 with 17 kills in the set.

Fourth Set:

• The Golden Bears could not match their energy from the third set, falling short of closing out a four-set victory. WNE led early, getting help from Stauss, who recorded two straight kills to give the team an 8-5 lead. Three straight errors from Regis saw the Golden Bears extend their lead to 12-6, appearing in control of the frame.
• With WNE ahead 14-10, Regis ripped off seven straight points to stun the Golden Bears. Four kills, including a pair from Avery Mola, gave the Pride a 17-14 lead before the Golden Bears got back on the board. Regis continued to surge, winning 15 of the final 17 points in the set to take it 25-16.
• WNE put down just six kills in the set and had eight attacking errors. Regis posted a match-high 14 kills, hitting .242.

Fifth Set:

• The Pride opened the deciding set with a 4-1 lead before the Golden Bears made a quick comeback, scoring five of the next six points to take a 6-5 advantage — all on Regis errors.
• Rachel Critz and Adrionne Sharp lifted WNE with kills, and an attacking error gave the blue and gold a 10-9 lead before outstanding service from Alexandra Rivera took over, as Rivera served Regis through the final six points of the set to win 15-10 and take the match 3-2.
• Eight of Regis's 15 points came on kills, while WNE had just four kills and committed five errors in the deciding frame.

Inside the Lines:

• Léa Barber led Western New England with 13 kills, hitting .133 for the match. She also collected 14 digs, two aces, and two assists.
• Rachel Critz was also in double figures with 12 kills on 23 attacks, hitting .391.
• Madison Stauss recorded four kills and 24 assists for the Golden Bears.
• The blue and gold were hurt by their 15 reception errors, as Regis dropped 15 aces, led by Sophia Anderson with five.
• Grace Fabiano led Regis with 14 kills, while Eva Catalanotto (13) and Avery Mola (12) were not far behind, helping the Pride to a five-set win. 
• Alexandra Rivera picked up a career-high 49 assists in the victory for Regis.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears have three Conference of New England matches remaining, beginning with a match this Friday, October 31, at 6:00 PM, welcoming Endicott College to Springfield for Senior Night.