Volleyball Outlasts Salem State in Five Sets

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team outlasted Salem State University to win in five sets on Thursday night in non-conference action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

The Mariners took the 3-2 match by set scores of 23-25, 25-21, 25-11, 15-25 and 15-10. Olivia DeLoach led all players with 15 kills while Ciera Moore added 12. DeLoach and Cameron Childs also contributed a match-high 27 digs each.

Sarah Janco and Darcy McDowell paced Salem State with 11 kills apiece. Morgan Adams handed out a match-high 36 assists and supplied 14 digs.

After dropping the opening set, Mitchell bounced back to even the match in the second as Moore came up big with six kills in the stanza. DeLoach then took up the hot hand in the third set, supplying five kills as the Mariners grabbed a 2-1 advantage.

The Vikings opened the fourth set with a 5-0 run and never trailed en route to tying the match up. McDowell led the charge with four kills as Salem State forced the deciding set.

DeLoach came up big once again in the final stanza, providing back-to-back kills to give Mitchell an early 4-2 edge. Later on, her third kill of the set made it a 13-10 game, and Childs served for consecutive aces to close out the Mariners' first five-set victory of the season.

Mitchell (9-8 overall) will next play at Elms College on Saturday, October 12 at 11 a.m. Salem State (0-14 overall) returns to action at Northern Vermont University-Lyndon on Saturday at 2 p.m.