THE BASICS:

RESULT: UMass Lowell 3, Hartford 2
LOCATION: Hartford Volleyball Gym (West Hartford, Conn.)
RECORDS: Hartford (5-15, 2-5 America East), UMass Lowell (6-16, 1-6)

THE LEAD:
Katy Henchy logged 20 kills and Paulina Modestow added 19, but a late rally lifted UMass Lowell past the Hartford volleyball team on Saturday night.
 
Madi Bell led three River Hawks in double figures with 17 kills, adding 17 digs. Lindsey Visvardis led all players with 23 digs in the victory, while Lauren Bennett delivered eight blocks to go along with 13 kills. UML delivered 14 blocks as a team in the victory.
 
Jordyn Kachmar and Astrid Mangual led the Hawks with 14 digs each, while Modestow logged 10 digs to register a double-double. Jenna Bridges finished atop the squad with four blocks.
 
SET-BY-SET
• UMass Lowell got out to an early 10-6 lead in the first set on the strength of the block, but Hartford rallied to trim it to 11-9 on a Henchy kill. Another River Hawk run ensued, with the visitors building a 20-10 advantage. The Hawks were able to cut it to 22-19 on a Modestow kill, but that was as close as they would get in a 25-20 loss.
• In the second, the teams were engaged in an incredibly tight back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to build much of an advantage. With the match tied at 20, Hartford made the most of a pair of UMass Lowell errors to go along with two kills by Modestow and one by Henchy to take the second, 25-20.
• The third started as another back-and-forth battle, but a run of five-straight points put the River Hawks ahead 12-8. Undaunted, the Hawks slowly chipped away at the advantage, repeatedly cutting the lead to one and finally pulling ahead, 22-21. With the score 22-22, Henchy delivered a key solo block to gain momentum, and the Hawks delivered a 25-23 triumph.
• The fourth set was another close-knit contest, with the teams battling to a 19-19 tie. UML then went on a run to roll off three straight for a 22-19 advantage, but the Hawks came right back to knot things up at 23 on a Henchy kill. The teams then traded points to 24 apiece, but UML got the final two tallies to take a 26-24 set.
• In the fifth, the River Hawks came soaring out with an 11-3 lead, and held off a late Hawks charge to take the set 15-7 and the match 3-2.

UP NEXT:
Hartford remains home for the final two matches in West Hartford this season. The Hawks will face Albany on Friday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. and then take on Binghamton on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. The latter contest will be Senior Day, with Hartford honoring Rachel Moll and Paola Llerandi prior to their final contest in the Hartford Volleyball Gym.