Volleyball Makes Quick Work of Albertus Magnus

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- The Mitchell College women's volleyball team picked up their first victory of the 2022 season on Tuesday night in non-conference action, sweeping Albertus Magnus 3-0 at the Cosgrove Athletic Center.

Mitchell (1-1 overall) won by sets of 25-13, 25-9, and 25-1, convincingly bouncing back after falling to Coast Guard Academy last Thursday. Allison Blum led the Mariners with a match high nine kills to go along with a team high 15 digs. Molly Steel-Miller added eight kills, five service aces, and four digs in the match, while Claire Binfield was active throughout, racking up a game-high 26 assists.

Diana Kalman paced Albertus Magnus (1-3 overall) with eight kills and a team-high nine digs.

The Mariners jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first set, and the closest the Falcons made it was 18-10 on a kill by Colleen Edwards.  Allison Blum then responded with a kill of her own, which led to five straight points by Mitchell, who comfortably pulled away. The second set began much closer as the Mariners led just 7-6 early on. Another kill by Blum, off an assist from Binfield, ingited another rally, as Mitchell scored seven straight points that included kills by Olivia DeLoach and Sarah Avilés. 

The third set proved to be the most competitive, yet with the score tied 10-10 Blum came through with a kill to go ahead, and the Mariners never looked back.

The victory was the first in the collegiate career for head coach Tony Nocera, who took over the program this summer. Nocera had spent the past nine years as the head coach of the varsity girl's volleyball program at New Milford High School. During that span his teams won 87 games and qualified for the state tournament five times.

Mitchell will play next back at home on Thursday, when they host St. Joseph (Conn.) at 7:00 pm.

(Story photo courtesy of Paul Duddy)