Volleyball Loses in Five Sets to Elms

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker to Elms College on Tuesday night by a 3-2 final (25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-13) in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

The Mariners twice battled back from a set down to force a fifth and deciding set. Elms trailed 10-6 in the final stanza before clawing back to record nine of the final 12 points to claim the victory. The Blazers improved to 4-12 overall (1-0 NECC) while the Mariners dropped to 3-9 overall (0-2 NECC).

Elms' Danielle Redding led all players with 19 kills and added 13 digs and two blocks. Hannah Adams finished with 13 kills, 19 digs and five service aces while Carolyn Campbell chipped in with a match-high 34 assists and 10 digs.

Myia Williams led Mitchell with a season-high 14 kills while Amanda Rowan added nine. Colby Zitoli posted a match-high 27 digs while Italia Krick contributed 10 digs and four service aces.

Elms pulled out to a 11-5 lead in the opening set and later led 16-8 following a pair of aces from Kate Moriarty. The Blazers built a big enough lead to withstand a late run the Mariners—who rallied behind a 9-1 run to pull within three at 24-21—to secure the early 1-0 lead.

The Mariners never trailed in the second set as strong service by Janelle Rice and Krick led to a 7-2 start. The Blazers closed the gap to two at 12-10 but would get no closer, and a kill by Williams later capped the set and evened the match at 1-1.

Krick served Mitchell out to a 5-0 lead in the third, but Haley Asselin returned the favor to pull the Blazers even. The sides traded points until the score was knotted at 15-15, and Adams turned the tide by serving for seven straight points—including four aces—to put Elms comfortably in front. A kill by Redding closed out the set and put the Blazers in the driver's seat.

Krick served for seven straight points in the middle of the fourth set to propel Mitchell to a 19-9 advantage. The Mariners held off a late charge and took advantage of three Elms miscues to secure the final points to even the match.

Williams recorded a pair of kills as Mitchell vaulted out to a 3-0 lead in the fifth set. Redding countered with two kills of her own on the next three rallies as Elms evened up the score. The Mariners led 8-6 when the teams switched sides and later bumped the margin to 10-6 behind back-to-back kills by Krick and Ariana Carter. 

A pair of kills by Adams and a Mitchell ball-handling error tied the score at 11-11. The Mariners went back in front thanks to a service error, and Rice followed with her third ace of the match for a 13-11 edge. 

However, the Blazers buckled down to score the next four points to end the match. A kill and an ace by Adams tied the score at 13-13, and Redding followed with a big kill to put Elms at match point. A line-drive serve by Adams led to an uncontrolled Mitchell dig that came back to the net, and Asselin hammered it to the ground for the winning kill.

Mitchell will next host Bay Path University on Saturday, October 8 at 11 a.m. Elms returns to action at Mount Holyoke College on Thursday, October 6 at 6 p.m.