WILKES-BARRE – Senior middle hitter Michele Natale (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) helped the Wilkes University women's volleyball team win its third consecutive match as the Colonels dispatched visiting Keystone College in straight sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-15) at the Marts Center Tuesday night.

The victory was the fourth 3-0 sweep of the season for the Colonels as they now stand at 5-4 overall. Keystone fell to 1-4 with the loss.

Natale totaled 10 kills on 21 total attacks with just one error for a stellar .429 hitting percentage on the night. She also collected four digs, two blocks and a service ace.

The first set remained tight early on as Wilkes led 15-13 just past the midway point. The Colonels then scored eight of the next nine points to take a 23-14 advantage. Alex Ferrier (Auburn, PA/Blue Mountain) got the run started with two kills and Kristie Najdek (Bethpage, NY/Island Trees) also had an ace. The Giants battled back with a six-point run to make the score 23-20 but a kill by Christie Challenger (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Blue Mountain) and then another by Amy Hadesty (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua Area) handed the Colonels the 25-21 set victory.

Wilkes wasted little time jumping ahead in set two as the home side went ahead 13-5 following a four-point run where Challenger had back-to-back kills, Karlye Huffman (Sugar Run, PA/Wyalusing) had an ace and Jamey Mikovich (Nesquehoning, PA/Panther Valley) had a kill. Keystone would close the score to 16-13 but a block by Natale and Mikovich stopped the Giants run. Natale would serve an ace to close the set as Wilkes went ahead 2-0 with a 25-17 victory.

The Colonels trailed early on in the third set until a six-point rally put the Navy and Gold ahead 11-7. The score remained close at 17-14 before another six-point run with Najdek serving pushed the Colonels to the sweep.

Mikovich finished with team-highs in kills and digs with 11 each. Challenger joined Natale and Mikovich in double-digit kills with 10 of her own and she added six digs to tie her career-high. Huffman directed the offense with 33 assists. Libero Julie Murphy (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) had 10 digs.

Wilkes is now 2-0 at the Marts Center this season and will look to stay undefeated at home when it hosts a non-conference tri-match on Saturday. The Colonels will face Cedar Crest College at 10:00 a.m. and then Penn State Harrisburg at 2:00 p.m.