Springfield, Mass. - September 24, 2015 - Behind 10 kills from junior Lauren Holt (Granby, Conn.) and a career-best nine kills from freshman Hayley Kmetz (Ardsley, N.Y.), the Springfield College women's volleyball program cruised to a three-set win over Smith College in Blake Arena on Thursday night.

Springfield, which was ranked fourth in this week's New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) poll, improves to 11-2, 3-1 in league play.  The loss sets Smith's record to 2-9, 0-4.

The Pride took the three frames by the scores of 25-11, 25-14, 25-19. Along with Holt and Kmetz, Kayleigh Helgesen (Oceanside, Calif.) registered eight kills on 14 swings, hitting at a .500 clip, while sophomore Rebecca Higgins (Orchard Park, N.Y.) chipped in with seven kills on 14 swings, hitting a career-best .429 for the match. For Smith, Elizabeth Peay (Lebanon, Conn.) led the way with seven kills, while Macarena Rojas (Maipu, Santiago, Chile) registered six in the loss.

Graduate student Molly Giannattasio (East Lyme, Conn.) finished the match with 20 assists, while junior Marnae Mawdsley (Bolton, Conn.) registered 16 of her own on the evening. Freshman Hannah Lozano (Stockton, Calif.) finished the day with a match-leading 13 digs.

All even at five apiece in the first set, Springfield went on a 6-0 run, capped by an ace from Jennifer Hurwitz (Longmeadow, Mass.) to give the Pride an 11-5 lead, forcing a Smith timeout. Out of the break, Holt picked up her second kill of the match, before the Pride took a went on a 7-1 run to close out the first frame, sealed by three-straight errors from the Pioneers.

The Pride jumped out to an early 5-1 lead in the second behind two kills from Higgins and one from Jennifer Donnelly (Exeter, R.I.), before Smith cut its deficit down to two following a kill from Ella Prince (New York, N.Y.). Midway through the second stanza, Springfield took a 12-4 lead after a kill from Helgesen before Smith brought it back to within six following a put away from Mei-Li Smith (Cypress, Calif.). Up 21-12 late in the set, Springfield was able to take the frame following a kill from Kmetz, 25-14.

Lozano picked up three-straight service aces to kick off the third set, giving the Pride a 4-1 lead, before Kmetz picked up a cross-court kill to make it 7-3, Springfield. Knotted at 18 apiece late in the final stanza, Kmetz, Helgesen and senior Elise Brogan (Andover, Mass.) registered three-straight points for the Pride to give the hosts a 21-18 lead, before the three repeated, and closed out the set 25-19, icing the victory for Springfield.

Springfield will play its third NEWMAC match of the week on Saturday when it travels to face Emerson for a 1:00 pm meeting.