Volleyball Fights Back but Falls Short vs. DWC

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College rallied back from a two-game deficit to force a fifth and deciding set on Wednesday night, but Daniel Webster College hung on to claim a 3-2 victory in New England Collegiate Conference women's volleyball action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

The Eagles (10-18 overall, 5-3 NECC) won by set scores of 25-20, 25-22, 19-25, 22-25 and 15-3. Hannah Koehler led all players with 19 kills on 42 attacks and hit .310 for the match. Madeline Roulier pitched in with 11 kills and 16 digs while Nicole Beard handed out 36 assists. Meghan Six also contributed a match-high 34 digs.

Amanda Garcia paced the Mariners (4-13 overall, 1-6 NECC) with 16 kills while Amanda Rowan had 11. Nicole Caminiti finished with 34 assists while Kaisea Caramante was one of six Mitchell players with double-digit digs with 28. 

In the opening set, neither team led by more than a point until Kaitlyn Mitchell served the Eagles to a 13-10 advantage. The Mariners responded by scoring five straight points to regain the lead, although Daniel Webster eventually evened the set at 16-16. The visitors then won nine of the final 13 points to take the set, with Koehler leading the way with five kills.

Back-to-back kills from Garcia made it 19-19 in the second set. However, Daniel Webster won six of the next nine points to go up 2-0 in the match. Roulier recorded a pair of kills and a service ace during the stretch while Amanda Gendron provided the kill on set point.

Mitchell fought back into the match with wins in the next two sets. Garcia and Myia Williams each tallied four kills in the third set as the Mariners never trailed. In the fourth, Garcia added five more kills while Caramante contributed three straight aces, and Mitchell held off a late rally to tie the match at 2-2.

Daniel Webster drew first blood in the deciding fifth set on a spike by Koehler, the first of six straight points for the visitors. Mitchell committed five attack errors and one service error as the Eagles built a 10-1 lead and cruised to the finish.

For the Eagles, Gendron finished with seven kills while Beard and Courtney Warrington each contributed 17 digs. Mitchell finished with half of Daniel Webster's 12 aces and also added 10 digs. For the Mariners, Williams checked in with seven kills while Italia Krick and Emily Stracuzzi each pitched in with 17 digs.

Mitchell will wrap up regular season play at Becker College on Friday, October 30 at 7 p.m. Daniel Webster will next play in the first round of the NECC Championship on Tuesday, November 3 against an opponent to be determined.