Volleyball Beats USJ for Second Straight Win

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Mitchell College women's volleyball team picked up their second consecutive victory on Thursday night, cruising past the University of St. Joseph 3-0 at the Yarnall Athletics Center. 

Mitchell (2-1 overall) won by set scores of 25-12, 25-17, and 26-24. Olivia DeLoach led the Mariners with a game-high 15 kills, to go along with seven digs and two service aces. It was a well rounded effort from the Mariners, as Allison Blum added 10 kills of her own with an additional nine digs, and Molly Steel-Miller tallied six kills as well. Julia Lent anchored the defense, registering a game-high 19 digs, and Claire Binfield was a key distributer, with 26 assists on the night. 

Shannon Carey paced the Blue Jays with a team-high five kills, while Peyton Greger added five kills and eight digs. 

The Mariners got off to a fast start, building a 22-9 lead in the first match. St. Joseph answered with two quick points, but it was far too much ground to make up, and Mitchell easily skated to an opening set victory.

The second set was closer, but the Mariners led throughout, turning a 17-14 lead into a 23-16 advantge by rallying to win six of the next eight points before closing the action out.

The third game was knotted at 13-13 before the Mariners once again broke ahead. Kills by Moore, Blum, Sarah Aviles, and Binfield helped lead a 6-2 rally, and it appeared Mitchell was in the clear. However, with the Mariners in match point and the score 24-20, the Blue Jays scored won four straight sets to tie the match. Blum notched another kill to put the Mariners up 25-26, before an error receiving by St. Joseph sealed the Mitchell victory. 

Mitchell now has their first winning streak of the season, having not lost a set since their opening round sweep at the hands of Coast Guard. Thursday was also the first home victory for head coach Tony Nocera, who was hired to run the program this past summer.

The Mariners will return to their home gym on Saturday, September 10, when they welcome in SUNY Cobleskill and Suffolk for a tri-match.