MANCHESTER, N.H. – The University of New Haven women’s volleyball team defeated Saint Anselm College 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 25-15) Saturday afternoon in New Hampshire. The Chargers won their 16th straight match with the win and improved to 16-4 overall, 11-0 in Northeast-10 Conference play. The Hawks fell to 7-12 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

The Chargers and Hawks went point-for-point through most of the first set Saturday. New Haven pulled away midway through and led by five points, 20-15 before St. Anselm started to climb back in the set. The Hawks five straight and eventually took a 23-22 lead. The Chargers battled before a Keidy Candelaria (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Bayamon Military Academy) kill and a Hawks’ error gave the Chargers a 25-23 victory.

In the second set, New Haven when on a 4-0 run behind the service of Candelaria to take an early 7-3 lead. New Haven would lead throughout the second set and took a 10-point, 23-13 lead late. UNH rounded out the set with another Candelaria kill which sealed a 25-18 win.

Unlike the first two sets, Saint Anselm led for a majority of the fourth set. The Chargers fell behind by five early, 10-5. The Hawks continued their streak and led 15-8 before the Chargers went on an 8-0 run to even the set at 15-15. In the later portion of the set, Saint Anselm took a narrow margin and put away a 25-23 victory with three of the final five points.

The final and deciding set, was all New Haven. The Chargers led early and never looked back. UNH took a 6-0 lead right out of the gate and led by as many as 10 points. New Haven was propelled by Candelaria, Amber Cannady (Yonkers, N.Y./Charles E. Gorton) and Margo Meteyer (Madison, Wisc./Madison West) down the stretch and sealed a 25-15 victory.

Candelaria led the team with 22 kills on 44 attempts with only three errors for a .432 hitting percentage. Cannady added double digit kills with 11 , while Kaulana Ane (Paia, Hawaii/Kamehameha) and Elizabeth Akinbiyi (Miami Gardens, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna Prep.) each chipped in with five. Chelsey Alpough (Torrance, Calif./South / Western New Mexico Univ. ) handed out 40 assists and recorded six aces, while Ane and Heather Ladao (West Covina, Calif./Rowland ) each recorded 12 digs.

The Chargers return to action on Tuesday, October 25 when they travel to American International College in Springfield, Mass. Match time with the Yellow Jackets is set for 7 p.m.