Express Silenced By Keuka 3-0

AURORA, N.Y. – Freshman Gina Cairns (Delhi, N.Y.) set a career high mark with 11 kills, but the Wells College women's volleyball team fell to the Storm of Keuka College by a 3-0 margin (25-15, 25-12, 25-21) Tuesday evening at the Frances Tarlton Farenthold Field House. The Express fall to 1-15 overall and drop their fourth contest within the North Eastern Athletic Conference (0-4). The Storm improve to 13-3 overall and collect their conference-leading fourth victory of the season in conference play (4-0).

For only the second time all season, the Express recorded more kills than their opponent (25-to-22). Additionally, freshman Katie Curtin's (Cassville, N.Y.) 27 attack attempts set a program record. Cairns' 11 kills are also the most by a member of the Express in a three set contest.

In the opening set, the Storm at one point possessed an 8-4 lead, but the Express were able to knot the score at eight apiece following kills by libero Nicole Loeven (Pawling, N.Y.) and two by Curtin. Later in the set, with the score at 14-11 in favor of Keuka, the Storm went on an eight point run from which Wells would not recover. Jill Nolan hammered home two service aces during that span while the Express made four errors.

The Storm were able to capture the second set after the Express hit a cumulative -.097 as a team, recording 10 errors and only seven kills. At one point, the Storm possessed a 21-9 lead, but the Express were able to mount a miniature comeback to reach the final score of 25-12. Paige Golden and Morgan Eberley each posted three kills en route to the set victory. Both Zakarra Butts (Cortland, N.Y.) and Heath recorded two kills each without an error in the set but were unable to secure the victory in the middle stanza.

Cairns once again led play in the third set, hammering home four kills alongside only two errors but the Express could not overcome their 11 defensive miscues. Possessing a 13-9 lead near the midpoint of the third set, the Storm rallied to bring the score to 20-20. A Paige Golden kill coupled with an attack error by Curtin brought the score to 22-20. Leilani Yasutake (Germantown, N.Y.) recorded a clutch kill, assisted by Heath, to cut into the margin, but the Express allowed a Storm kill, a service ace and committed an attacking error to drop the set in the waning minutes.

Cumulatively, Cairns led all Wells College players by hitting a collective .208, recording 11 kills alongside only six errors. Heath set up 14 of the team's 25 kills while Loeven contributed with a team-best 12 digs defensively. For the Storm, Golden led all players with eight kills while Nolan set up 10 of the team's 22 kills. Libero Taylor Smith chipped in eight digs of her own to lead the team in that category.

The Express return to action Wednesday, Oct. 3 as they host Ithaca College in a 6:00 p.m. tilt at the Frances Tarlton Farenthold Field House. Stay up to date with the latest news directly from the Wells College athletic department by "liking" us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/WellsExpress) and subscribing to our Twitter account (http://www.twitter.com/WellsExpress).