DUDLEY, MASS. - The Nichols College women's volleyball battled hard against Western New England but fell in 5 sets (25-16, 21-25, 16-25, 25-16, 12-15) at the Anthony S Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center this Tuesday Evening.

With the loss, the Bison record moves to 5-10 (1-1 CNE) and Golden Bear's record rises to 6-9 (1-1 CNE).

Freshman Alyssa Morse led the charge for Nichols with 14 kills. Mairead Frost and Kya Burdier chipped in with 11 and 8 kills, while both along with senior Maille Ianniruberto,  made an impact from the service line with two aces apiece. Burdier and Ianniruberto also controlled the net defensively, each recording three blocks. Graduate student Ruby St. Onge directed the offense with 23 assists, and junior Elizabeth Mullen anchored the back row with a team-high 25 digs.

The Bison came out strong in the first set, with their first kill coming from Frost and quickly building a 6–1 lead. Nichols continued to cruise, reaching an 11-point advantage with support from Morse, Burdier, and St. Onge. The Golden Bears, unable to keep up, gave up the first set 25–16, which ended as it began with a kill from Frost.

The second set saw the Bison struggle to maintain their dominance as the Golden Bears fought back, trading points throughout. Neither team gained an early edge until Western New England produced a six-point surge. That lead proved enough, and the Golden Bears took the set 25–21.

Western New England took charge in the third set, building a 15–5 lead over Nichols. The Bison managed to score a few points, highlighted by multiple kills from Angelina Steiger and Mairead Frost, as well as an ace from Elizabeth Mullen, capitalizing on a few Golden Bears' mistakes. However, it wasn't enough, and Western New England closed out the set 25–16 to take a 2–1 lead in the match.

Nichols used a 6–0 surge to jump ahead 10–4, highlighted by kills from Alyssa Morse and Kya Burdier along with a pair of Burdier aces. The Bison extended their lead to 17–6 after a McKayle kill and another WNE error, maintaining full control of the frame. Western New England cut it to 22–15 late, but Nichols closed the set with three of the final four points, capped by a Morse kill at 25–16 to secure the win.

The deciding set was hard-fought, with both teams battling and trading points. WNE maintained a slim one-point lead even as the Bison generated offense with the help of Steiger and Frost. Nichols kept the deficit close, making every point count, but after a kill from Morse, the Golden Bears sealed the match, 15–12, finishing the match 3-2.

The Bison will be back home to host the University of New England (7-7, 1-1 CNE) at the Nichols Athletic Center on Saturday, October 4th at 1:00 PM