FRANKLIN, Mass.- After jumping out to a 2-0 lead after two sets, the Dean College Bulldogs women's volleyball team appeared to be poised for a sweep, but the New England College Pilgrims battled back, winning the next two games to force a fifth and final set. Dean responded, winning the final set to seal the match 3-2, earning a crucial Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory on Tuesday night in Pieri Gym.

On the final point of the first set, senior setter Anabella Driscoll (Plymouth, Mass.) set a Dean College record with her 1500th assist of her career. She assisted first-year Maddy Seymour (Simbury, Conn,) for the game winning kill. The first set was close throughout, but Dean pulled away late to secure the 25-19 win.

The second set was consistently close, with neither team leading by more than three throughout the frame. Trailing 23-20 late in the set, NEC scored three straight to tie it. Dean responded by scoring three of next four, buoyed by kills from Janai Price (Providence, R.I.) and Chloe Demaio (Needham, Mass.) to take the set 26-24.

Another back and forth set ensued in the third period, with both teams trading barbs throughout the game. The visitors found their groove late, scoring four straight to take a 24-21 lead, and held on for the 25-23 win.

In the fourth set, the Pilgrims took an early lead, racing out to a 7-3 advantage in the early going. Dean bounced back, taking the lead at 15-14. After back and forth play led to a tie at 21, NEC scored four of the next five and took the set 25-22. 

In the final frame, the Bulldogs regained their footing and controlled the action. The Bulldogs took a 7-3, and 9-4 lead. Leading 14-10 on a kill from Seymour, senior Rae Edwards (Westfield, Mass.) drilled a service ace to ice the game. 

Driscoll registered a career-high 50 assists on her stellar night, a Bulldog single game record to go with her career honor, and for good measure, added a season-high five kills as well as seven digs. Seymour finished with 13 kills and 26 digs for her second straight double-double. Emily Ball (Feeding Hills, Mass.) added a double-double of her own, registering 13 kills and 13 digs. Demaio and Caitlin Cooper (Amherst, N.H.) both finished with 10 kills. Junior Skylar Raskevitz (Easthampton, Mass.) logged 23 digs, tied for her second highest number on the season. 

Dean (7-10 overall, 3-3 GNAC) is back in action on Friday when they travel to Colby-Sawyer for a 7 p.m. GNAC matchup with the Chargers.