Volleyball Drops Five Set Marathon at RIC

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team dropped their first match of the season on Tuesday evening, losing a five set marathon against non-conference opponent Rhode Island College at The Murray Center. The Mariners won the first set, 25-22 and the third set, 25-19, but dropped the second, fourth, and deciding sets by scores of 25-16, 25-21, and 15-9.

Senior Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.) paced the Mariners with a game-high 15 kills. Fresh off being named GNAC Rookie of the Week, Bliss Brown (Rainbow City, Ala.) recorded her second double-double of the young season, finishing with a match-high 29 assists to go along with 14 digs and nine kills. Sophomore Julia Lent (Miller Place, N.Y.) had 21 digs, also a match-high figure, and was one of four Mitchell players to tally double-digit digs. Allison Blum (Garden Grove, Cali.) added 17 digs, Brown had 14, and Julianna Repaci (New Britain, Conn.) was credited with 13.

After trading sets to begin the evening, the Mariners delivered a dominant third game, turning a two-point deficit into a 19-13 edge by scoring 10 of 12 on route to a six-point victory. With their backs against the wall, the Anchorwomen starved off elimination to set up a deciding fifth set. The fifth set began with both squads trading points, but eventually RIC began to find their groove, going on a 4-0 run, followed by a 5-0 run, which eventually led to Mitchell dropping the stanza by a final of 15-9.

Megan Philbrick led RIC with 11 kills, while Yuleisy Alvelo dished out 23 assists, and Marina Colonis had a team-best 15 digs.

The Mariners (2-1) will return to action on Saturday, September 9, when they traveling to Trinity College for a tri-match with the Bantams and Worcester State. Mitchell is slated to face off against Trinity at 12:00 pm and the Lancers at 2:00 pm.

The Anchorwomen (1-0) will look to make it two in a row when they play at Salem State University on Thursday, September 6.