WENHAM, Mass. -- Junior middle hitter Julia Wingler (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) put down a career-high 13 kills and the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's volleyball team came back from two sets down to pull out a 3-2 (22-25, 13-25, 25-22, 25-18, 16-14) victory over Keene State College this afternoon as part of a tri-match at host Gordon College at the Bennett Athletic Center in Wenham, Mass.

The Lyons win their fourth straight to even their record at 6-6, while the Owls dip to 5-6.

Wheaton was dominant on the defensive side of the net with a season-high 13 blocks and fired 15 aces to Keene State's total of six. The Lyons hit well when it counted, owning a .225 mark in the fourth set and a .250 clip in the deciding fifth frame.

Wheaton roared back to win sets three and four and came back from a 12-9 fifth-set deficit to pull out the match.

Wingler hit .211 for the match and added six total blocks and a dig for the Lyons. Junior outside hitter Sydney Lyon (Weston, Conn.) contributed with 11.5 points on seven kills, three aces and three block assists in addition to seven digs, while junior middle hitter Hollis Hanson (Parker, Colo.) registered a .333 hitting mark as part of a six-kill effort in addition to five total blocks, a pair of aces and two digs. Junior outside hitter Celina Henn (Atwater, Calif.) swung for eight kills, got down for nine digs and recorded a block assist and sophomore setter Ajsa Orbán (Budapest, Hungary) directed the offense with 22 assists to go with four aces and four digs for Wheaton.

Junior outside hitter Gigi Stake (Bedford, N.H.) led all players with 14 kills and added 15 digs for a double-double to go with an ace for the Owls, while first year outside hitter Marina Miller (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) matched her with a double-double of her own on 13 kills and 10 digs. Junior middle blocker Annaliese Rudberg (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) swung for nine kills on a .421 hitting clip and added three block assists and a dig. Sophomore setter Alexis Small (Londonderry, N.H.) set for 39 assists, picked up seven digs and got up for a block assist and first year libero Delia Ryan (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) scooped up a match-high 16 digs and fired a pair of aces.

The Lyons faced a 2-0 set deficit in the match, before taking the third frame to give themselves a chance. Keene State took an early 5-2 margin in the set, before Wheaton erased the gap and took a 10-9 edge. The Owls scored the next three points to reclaim the lead at 12-10, before the Lyons pulled even at 12-12 after an Orbán ace for the first of eight ties within the remainder of the frame. Wingler later put down a kill to keep the score even at 21-21, before Wheaton closed out the set with four of the final five points, including another kill from Wingler to send the match to a fourth set. 

Keene State again held an early lead in the fourth frame at 9-6, but five unanswered points, fueled by a pair of aces and a kill from Hollis, put the Lyons on top, 11-9. The Owls countered with four straight points, including a pair of kills from Stake, to take a 13-11 margin. Wheaton blew by Keene State with a 12-3 blitz that was capped by a Hanson kill to give the Lyons a comfortable 23-16 cushion. Wheaton forced the fifth and final frame with a 25-18 result.

The Owls looked like they were ready to shake off the Lyons' late charge with leads of 11-6 and 12-9 in the fifth frame, thanks to three kills from Stake. Wheaton had other ideas, reeling off four straight points to take a 13-12 edge for its first lead of the set. Keene State tied the frame at 13-13 and 14-14, before the Lyons scored the final two points to complete the comeback and come away with the victory.

Wheaton raced out to an 8-2 lead in the opening set behind a pair of aces from sophomore defensive specialist Arianna Tanksley (Chesapeake, Va.), before the Owls scored six of the next seven points to pull within 9-8. The Lyons later clung to a 17-15 margin, but Keene State put together a 7-2 burst to take the lead for good at 22-19 after a kill from Small. Hollis cut the deficit to 23-22 with a kill for Wheaton, but the final two points belonged to the Owls as did the set.

The teams were deadlocked at 10-10 in the second frame, before Keene State made a statement with a 12-1 run, including 10 straight points, to take a 22-11 advantage. Rudberg (three kills) and Ryan (two aces) sparked the stretch for the Owls, before they took the set 25-13 and a 2-0 match lead.

The Lyons return to the court on Tuesday, September 24 when they host Springfield College at Emerson Gymnasium to open New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at 7:00 p.m., while Keene State hosts Colby-Sawyer College on September 25 at 4:30 p.m.