CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Lesley University attempted to rally from down two sets with a Game 3 victory, but Daniel Webster jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the opening set and held on for a 3-1 victory in New Collegiate Conference women's volleyball play at the Nicholas Athletics Center.

            Eagles senior Jennifer Finneran (Barnstead, NH/Prospect Mountain) led all players with 15 kills and four solo blocks, and teammate Chelsey Crawford (Westfield, MA/Westfield) added 10 kills with only one error for a match-high .375 hitting percentage. Outside hitter Samantha Hill (Hudson, NH/Alvirne) sent over a match-best seven service aces and led Daniel Webster with 14 digs, one of four Eagles (10-8, 3-2 NECC) to finish with 11 or more.

            For the Lynx (5-11, 3-2 NECC), Megan Ortwein ( Easton, PA/Shanghai American) and Danielle Johnston (Waterford, CT/Waterford) led the way with 11 kills and 17 digs and 11 kills and 10 digs, respectively. Freshman Danielle McDonald (Lilitz, PA/Manheim) led all players with 25 digs, but Lesley mustered a .067 attack percentage compared to a .151 average for the Eagles.

            A tight opening set was tied for the fifth time at 10-10, but a 6-1 run featuring three Crawford kills put Daniel Webster in front for good. Two Finneran kills out of a Lesley timeout sent the Eagles on top 21-14 in what became a 25-15 Daniel Webster victory.

            Lesley answered back with a 6-0 run to open Game 2 with a 12-7 lead, but the Eagles promptly responded with a 7-1 run to swing on top 14-13, and the visitors never trailed again. Lesley tied the set at 20-20, but four Lynx errors and a Crawford kill closed out Daniel Webster's 25-21 win.

            Trailing two sets to none, Lesley orchestrated a 9-0 run highlighted by three Ortwein kills with freshman Suriya Patel (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA/Peninsula) at serve to take a 17-8 lead in Game 3. Daniel Webster attempted to rally late with Crawford serving, ripping off an 8-0 run capped by Finneran's second kill in three points that tied the set at 23-23.

            Head coach Tricia Lawler's leading hitters then took control, with Ortwein and Johnson throwing down kills to seal a 25-23 Lesley victory.

            An Anthea Rathjens (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) kill brought the Lynx to within 4-3 early in Game 4, but Lesley was never able to tie. Back-to-back Hill aces forced a Lawler timeout with the Lynx trailing 17-8, but as the Eagles did a game prior, Lesley came up short on a late rally.

            Two Ortwein kills in a 5-0 Lynx run saw Lesley pull to within 23-21, but an Alyson Finbow attack error and Hill's last of seven aces capped the Eagles 25-21 win.

            Crawford and Sarah Durocher (Keene, NH/Keene) each added four service aces for Daniel Webster, which finished with 18.

            Lesley returns to the court Thursday at home against Mass Maritime at 8:00 p.m. and Friday at home against Becker.