WALTHAM, Mass. – With a 16-match winning streak in tow, the Bentley volleyball team hosts Franklin Pierce Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.
 
Millennial made
Junior Sophia Poehlein recently became the 10^th Falcon in program history to achieve 1,000 career kills. She reached the milestone during the first set of Bentley's sweep at Saint Anselm (Oct. 24). The last Falcon to reach 1,000 kills was Ingrid Murphy '24. Poehlein's 3.24 kills per set this season are tied for fourth in the NE10.
 
Conference tour
Tory Vitko was named the NE10 Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week, and for the fourth time this season. Vitko notched her sixth double-double of the season during Bentley's three-set win at Saint Anselm (Oct. 24). She totaled 28 assists and 14 digs – the latter of which ties a season high for the junior.
 
Next level
When it comes to conference-only matches, Bentley is on a different level. In such contests, Bentley leads the NE10 in hitting percentage with a .280 mark, while no other team is hitting better than .255. The Falcons are also the only NE10 team averaging more than 17.0 kills per set (17.95). In conference matches, Bentley is holding opponents to a lowly .098 hitting percentage, while the next best mark is .147.
 
Inside the streak
Bentley's 16-match winning streak started with its final match of the Colorado Premier Challenge – a 3-0 victory over Regis (Sept. 5). Half of those wins have been sweeps. What's more, Bentley has won 42 consecutive matches against teams from the East Region. That streak dates back to the 2024 season.
 
Scouting Franklin Pierce (7-13, 2-4 NE10)
The Ravens have lost three consecutive matches, including a couple of five-set losses against Saint Anselm (Oct. 20) and Pace (Oct. 23). Maddie Swanson's 3.34 kills per set rank third in the NE10, and Marija Milosevic is the conference leader for service aces with 0.73 per set. The last time the Ravens beat Bentley was in 2021 in Rindge, N.H.