ALBANY, N.Y. -- Senior middle blocker Kristine Mickelson (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) hit .500 with a team-best eight kills, and junior setter Kelly Mee (Ivyland, Pa./Council Rock HS) accumulated 30 assists, as Bentley University took care of The College of Saint Rose in three sets in Northeast-10 Conference women's volleyball Friday night at the Nolan Gymnasium. The win was the 700th in the program's 29-year history.
The 25-22, 25-23, 25-15 victory boosted the Falcons to 15-11 overall and 10-4 in the Northeast-10. A victory in Saturday's regular season finale at Le Moyne College will give Bentley the third seed in next weekend's conference playoffs.
Bentley, after taking the first set, was in danger of dropping the second after Saint Rose (15-13, 5-9 NE-10) grabbed a 23-22 lead. Mickelson tied the score with a kill, and after an attack error put the Falcons in front, put her team up 2-0 with another kill.
The third set was the only one of the three that wasn't close, Bentley jumping out to leads of 10-4 and 14-6 before cruising to the victory.
Mickelson, who didn't have an attack error, also was involved in four of the team's 12 blocks. Junior Andrea Farah (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity HS) followed Mickelson with seven kills, and junior Alaura Berry (San Diego, Calif./Rancho Bernardo HS) made five blocks.
Senior libero Cassie Kraft (New Braunfels, Texas/St. Mary's Hall) made 18 digs for the Falcons, moving to within eight of 2,000 for her career.
Saint Rose, which had won three straight matches, received nine kills from sophomore Sarah Kahrs (Kings Point, N.Y.).
Saturday's match at Le Moyne will get underway at noon.
