Volleyball Triumphs Over Bay Path in Five Sets

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team picked up its first conference win of the season on Tuesday night, defeating Bay Path University by a 3-2 final in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

Mitchell (5-14 overall, 1-4 NECC) won by set scores of 25-16, 24-26, 25-20, 18-25 and 15-13. Junior Amanda Garcia and freshman Myia Williams led the Mariners with 18 and 12 kills, respectively, while junior Nicole Caminiti handed out a match-high 39 assists. 

Bay Path (3-17 overall, 0-6 NECC) was led by Lauren Vallee, who finished with 12 kills and added 22 digs. Aaliyah Gordon dished out 24 assists and chipped in with 13 digs while Kacie Bayreuther contributed a match-high 24 digs.

In the opening set, an early serving spree by freshman Lauren Tompkins pushed the Mariners out to a 9-3 advantage that they never relinquished. Bay Path got no closer than five points the rest of the set as Mitchell coasted to the 25-16 win.

Bay Path held off a late Mitchell run to take the second. The Mariners trailed 24-20 before rallying for four straight points to tie the match, with Garcia delivering a pair of kills during the stretch. However, the Wildcats won the next two points and closed out the set with a kill from Vallee to even the match.

Mitchell took the third set as Garcia and freshman Janelle Rice recorded four kills apiece in the stanza to lead the way. Bay Path answered back to win the fourth set, with Vallee swinging the momentum from the service stripe. Her team trailed by three before she served for eight straight points to put the Wildcats in front 18-14, and from that point they never trailed again in the set. Vallee finished with four kills in the stanza while Elizabeth Haylette and Paige Willis each added three.

Neither team led by more than two points in the final set, and the lead changed hands a total of seven times. With the score tied at 13-13, Rice came up big for the Mariners with back-to-back kills to close out the match. She finished with eight kills in the contest, just one shy of her season high. 

On the defensive side, Mitchell freshman Italia Krick contributed a season-high 22 digs while junior Kaisea Caramante added 20. The two also recorded three service aces apiece to lead the Mariners. 

Mitchell will next play at Regis College on Saturday, October 25 at 1 p.m. Bay Path returns to action at home against Elms College on Saturday at 1 p.m.