SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (September 30, 2026) – The Western New England University women's volleyball team twice took a one-set advantage over UMass Boston on Wednesday night, but the Beacons responded each time and ultimately held off the Golden Bears in a decisive fifth set to earn a 3-2 victory inside the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center. Western New England captured the first and third sets by identical 26-24 scores before UMass Boston took the second, 25-20, and fourth, 25-11, setting up a fifth set that went to the Beacons, 15-13. 

Records:
Western New England: 3-10 (0-1 CNE)
UMass-Boston: 8-7 (0-0 LEC) 

How It Happened:

Set One – Western New England 26, UMass-Boston 24

• UMass Boston grabbed the first two points of the match before Western New England quickly settled in. Charlei Henkel helped the Golden Bears establish their offense early as the teams went back and forth throughout the opening stages.

• Neither side could create much separation in a set that featured 13 ties and three lead changes. Western New England moved in front 15-13 behind a Katie Garland kill and a Henkel service ace before UMass Boston responded to eventually take an 18-17 advantage.

• The Golden Bears answered and carried a 22-20 lead into the closing stages. UMass Boston fought back to even the score at 24-24, extending the opening set beyond the 25-point mark.

• Garland delivered a kill to put Western New England at set point, 25-24, before Evelyn Taylor finished the frame with a service ace, giving the Golden Bears a 26-24 victory and a 1-0 match lead.

• Western New England turned in its best offensive set of the match in the opener, recording 15 kills with just three attack errors on 35 attempts for a .343 hitting percentage. 

Set Two – UMass Boston 25, Western New England 20

• Western New England struck first behind a Lauren Chagnon service ace and stayed within a point of the Beacons early, trailing 3-2.

• UMass Boston then created the first significant separation of the set, using a seven-point run to turn the narrow advantage into a 10-3 lead.

• The Golden Bears worked their way back into the frame. Consecutive Olivia Long kills and a Hilarie Porcaro service ace helped WNE cut the deficit to 12-9.

• UMass Boston regained control and eventually stretched its advantage to 21-15. Western New England made another push, with a Henkel kill helping the Golden Bears close within three at 22-19.

• The Beacons answered the late pressure by scoring three of the final four points, taking the second set 25-20 and evening the match at one set apiece.

Set Three – Western New England 26, UMass Boston 24

• UMass Boston opened the third set with three unanswered points, but Western New England responded quickly and began cutting into the early deficit.

• The Golden Bears turned a 5-4 deficit into an 8-5 advantage, with a Brianna Manes kill and consecutive UMass Boston errors helping WNE take its first significant lead of the frame.

• The middle portion remained tightly contested, with the teams playing through ties at 12-12, 13-13 and 14-14. Western New England eventually created some breathing room and opened a 20-16 advantage before later holding a 22-19 lead.

• UMass Boston answered with five consecutive points, including three straight kills, flipping the set and putting the Beacons at set point with a 24-22 advantage.

• Western New England responded with its biggest run of the night. An attack error brought WNE within one before Morgan Bonin delivered a kill to tie the score at 24-24. Another UMass Boston attack error put the Golden Bears ahead 25-24.

• Bonin followed with another kill to finish the four-point comeback, giving Western New England another 26-24 set victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Set Four – UMass Boston 25, Western New England 11

• With its back against the wall, UMass Boston responded immediately in the fourth set. After the teams split the opening two points, the Beacons scored eight consecutive points to build a 9-1 advantage.

• Western New England was unable to generate the type of sustained run that had helped it win the first and third sets, while UMass Boston continued to extend its advantage.

• The Beacons moved ahead 15-4 and later carried a 20-9 lead into the closing portion of the set. 

• Western New England received kills from Bonin, Manes and Ellie Ross during the frame, but UMass Boston closed out a 25-11 victory to force a deciding fifth set.

• The Beacons produced their strongest offensive set of the match in the fourth, recording 17 kills against just three attack errors on 27 attempts for a .519 hitting percentage. 

Set Five – UMass Boston 15, Western New England 13

• UMass Boston took the early advantage in the deciding set, moving in front 4-1 before Western New England began its first comeback attempt. A Henkel kill and Ross service ace helped WNE close within one at 4-3.

• The Beacons responded and stretched their lead to 8-4 as the teams switched sides, leaving Western New England needing another rally to keep the match alive.

• The Golden Bears delivered one, scoring four consecutive points. A UMass Boston service error started the run before Henkel recorded an ace, Manes contributed a block and Long delivered a kill to even the deciding set at 8-8. 

• UMass Boston moved back ahead 10-8, but Western New England again erased the deficit, with a Porcaro service ace tying the score at 10-10.

• The Beacons responded with three straight points to take a 13-10 lead and eventually reached match point at 14-11.

• Western New England made one final push. A UMass Boston service error brought WNE within two before Henkel delivered a kill to cut the deficit to just one at 14-13.

• UMass Boston ended the comeback attempt on the next rally, with Kaitlyn Leberstien recording the match-ending kill to give the Beacons a 15-13 fifth-set victory and 3-2 match win.

Key Performances:

• Charlei Henkel led Western New England offensively with 15 kills while adding 13 digs, two service aces and two block assists for a team-high 18 points. Morgan Bonin turned in an efficient night at the net, finishing with seven kills on 14 attacks for a .286 hitting percentage while contributing a solo block and two block assists. Brianna Manes and Olivia Long each added six kills. 
• Ellie Ross contributed across the floor with 15 assists, seven digs, three service aces, three kills and a block assist, while Madison Stauss added 12 assists and six digs. Lauren Chagnon led the Golden Bears defensively with 20 digs, and Porcaro finished with nine digs and three aces. 
• UMass Boston finished with a 59-43 advantage in kills and hit .250 for the match compared with .074 for Western New England. The Golden Bears held a narrow 10-9 advantage in service aces and totaled 70 digs. The match featured 28 ties and 11 lead changes, including 13 ties in the opening set and seven in the third.

Up Next:

Western New England returns to the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center on Saturday, October 3, when the Golden Bears host the University of New England Nor'Easters in a conference matchup at 1 p.m.