BOSTON, Mass. – With a total team effort and a combined .255 hitting percentage volleyball got back on the winning track as they picked-up a 3-0 victory over the Gulls of Endicott College Wednesday evening in the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.

THE BASICS

UMass Boston 3, Endicott College 0

UMass Boston (2-7, 0-0 Little East Conference)
Endicott College (6-4, 0-0 Commonwealth Coast Conference)

HOW IT HAPPENED

After three tough weeks, the volleyball team finally started to click as a unit as they dominated all three sets in the non-conference victory.  As a team the Beacons hit .242 or better in every set, which included a season-high .270 in the opening frame. 

In the first set, the Beacons powered past the Gulls to take a 1-0 lead following their 25-17 decision.  They would repeat that same score in the second set to take a comfortable 2-0 lead.  However in the third set the Beacons, once again struggled to put away the opposition.  Despite jumping out to an eight point lead early on, UMass could not finish off the Gulls, which gave them the opportunity to claw their way back.  The Beacons did manage to hang for 25-18 win to end their three match skid.

Julia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) had one of her best matches of the year, as she scored 12 kills on 23 attempts, while Colleen Koen (Centerville, Mass.) recorded a.562 hitting percentage scoring 10 kills on 16 attempts.  Setter Pepper Baker (Tallahassee, Fla.) tallied 30 assists to lead the offensive effort.

Elizabeth Glavan (Edina, Minn.) was solid all match, as she totaled 26 digs in the victory.  At the net the Beacons combined for seven total blocks, with Murphy driving home four solo and two block assists.

For the Gulls, they were held to a .058 hitting percentage in Wednesday's loss, with Lauren Sheehan finishing with just five kills.  Alleigh VandeMerkt totaled 10 of the team's 22 assists.  Three different Gulls recorded a team-best nine digs, and Hayley Knapp and Cydney Pierce each had one ace. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• The victory over Endicott marked the second straight for UMass and the fifth win in the last six meetings. 
• All-time UMass now leads the series 8-7 dating back to their first meeting in 1981
• Colleen Koen's .562 hitting percentage, marked a career-best for the junior transfer, who played two seasons at Wheaton College (Mass.)
• The 30 assists for Pepper Baker marked the third time this season, that the Florida native has recorded 30 or more helpers in a match

WHO'S NEXT

The Beacons will travel to Willimantic, CT on Saturday for a 12 p.m. Little East Conference match with Eastern Connecticut State University.