SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - There were plenty of tricks and even more treats for the American International College women's volleyball team on Halloween night, as the Yellow Jackets won 25-27, 25-23, 25-21, 25-14 over Saint Anselm College in a key Northeast 10 Conference matchup.

AIC is now 13-5 with a 4-2 NE10 mark.

The teams had miscues to start the match, as five of the first six points were scored on errors, but the Hawks began to pull away, building to an 18-12 lead. AIC roared back, with back-to-back Daniella Russo-Lolas aces pushing AIC ahead 22-21. It was back-and-forth from there, but the Hawks eventually won out on a Hollyn Frano kill to take the first 27-25.

Saint Anselm took that momentum into a 6-1 lead to start the second after a Sam Pila kill, but AIC once again battled back, and tied it as Lajla Rasljanin and Carissa Michel blocked Pila. Once in the lead, the Yellow Jackets did not fall behind again, despite the Hawks tying the match multiple times, thanks in part to five blocks in the set. Michel put the final kill of the set down to give AIC a 25-23 win and tie the match 1-1.

AIC was now in control of the momentum, and Janelys Perez Cortes started things off with a big kill. For the first time, there were no tie points, as AIC kept the Hawks at bay right to the end. Russo-Lolas picked up her 500th career assist on a Michel kill to make it 13-10, and also set up Michel for another set point swat past the defense. 

With a win in sight, the Yellow Jackets slammed the door. AIC again kept Saint Anselm in the rear-view mirror all match long, and three straight aces by Zorybeth Febres put AIC on the brink. Ultimately, after kills by Chelsea Foulis and Perez Cortes, it was an attack error that ended the set in AIC's favor, 25-14, and with that the match as well, 3-1.

Perla Rosa collected 26 digs in the match, and her first dig of the fourth set was the 1429th of her career, passing AIC Hall of Famer Judith Swift for the 3rd-most in the over five-decade history of the program. She was also a perfect 18-for-18 on receptions.

Perez Cortes led the offense with 17 kills, while Rasljanin had 11 and seven blocks. Victoria Soto Burgos made six blocks and seven kills, while Foulis had five of each. Russo-Lolas dished 28 assists and aced five serves, while Febres had 14 and 3, respectively. 

AIC will play its final regular season nonconference match on Tuesday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. when the team faces Mercy University.