Volleyball Clips Elms in Four Sets

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team took the final two sets en route to a 3-1 victory over Elms College on Wednesday night at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

The Mariners (6-8 overall, 3-1 NECC) won by set scores of 25-18, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-18 to post their fourth win in five games. Mitchell finished the night with a season-high 45 kills and was led by junior Gloria Charles with a career-best 14. Freshman Amanda Garcia and seniors Arianna Thomas and Kendra Erskine added nine kills apiece to stoke the offense.

Elms (2-15 overall, 0-3 NECC) totaled 30 kills for the match. JC Pickett led the Blazers with nine kills while Christina Martin added seven.

After a sluggish start in the first set, Mitchell erased an early four-point deficit and took its first lead behind the serve of Thomas. She served for five straight points to propel the Mariners to a 15-11 lead that they would carry to the finish.

The Blazers bounced back to claim the second set but fell behind 9-4 before making up ground. A kill by Martin eventually tied things up at 14-14, and the following attack error from the Mariners gave Elms its first lead of the stanza. Mitchell hung close but never took back the lead, and a service ace by Rachel Cowan and a kill by Christine Searles provided Elms with the final points of the set.

The crucial third set was tight until the Mariners seized control behind a five-point run. Erskine had two kills and Thomas added another during the stretch which saw Mitchell jump out to a 17-11 lead. Pickett did her best to keep the Blazers in it with six of the team's 10 kills in the set but to no avail.

Mitchell brought home the win with 17 kills in the fourth set, including six from Charles and four each from Thomas and Erskine. The Mariners got out to a 15-8 lead and led by as many as 10 points in the stanza. The Blazers made a late charge and cut the deficit to five at 21-16 but would get no closer.

Junior Nicole Terni finished with a match-high 37 assists and added 13 digs while freshman Kaisea Caramante led all players with 22 digs. Charles also had 13 digs to register her first career double-double.

Erika Murphy and Shannon Bolton combined for 23 of Elms' 25 assists. Caitlyn Larvey recorded a match-high five service aces and had 14 digs while Alexandra Mack posted a team-best 19 digs.

Mitchell will next host Southern Vermont College on Saturday, October 13 at 4 p.m.