Volleyball Drops a Pair in Tri-Match at Trinity

HARTFORD, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team dropped both matches during their tri-match on Saturday afternoon at Trinity College, falling to the host Bantams in straight sets before losing 3-2 against Worcester State at Ray Oosting Gymnasium.

Trinity topped the Mariners by set scores of 25-10, 25-15, and 25-14. Facing the Lancers, Mitchell won the second and third sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-19, however Worcester State was victorious in the opening set, 25-13, before winning the fourth set, 25-21, and the deciding fifth set, 15-12.

Match 1 – Trinity 3, Mitchell 0

Despite scoring the first point in each of the three sets, the Mariners had no answer for Trinity in the opening match of the day. Junior Allison Blum (Garden Grove, Cali.) collected a team-high six kills, while Bliss Brown (Rainbow City, Ala.) handed out seven assists, and Julia Lent (Miller Place, N.Y.) registered 13 digs, both team-best figures. Brown added four kills in the match and Sarah Aviles (Griswold, Conn.) also tallied five kills.

Ava Boloyan led Trinity with 12 kills in the win and Grace Sullivan dished out 16 assists.

Match 2 – Worcester State 3, Mitchell 2

The second match of the day proved far more competitive. After falling 25-13, Mitchell rebounded in a big way, stealing the second and third set from the Lancers to position themselves in the driver's seat. Trailing 13-11 midway through the second set, the Mariners ripped off nine consecutive points to take control, highlighted by a trio of kills from Bliss Brown. The third set was back and forth and as it neared the conclusion, the Mariners held onto a narrow 22-19 advantage. Worcester was unable to get closer however, as a ball handling error, followed by a bad set and an attack error sealed the stanza for Mitchell.

After jumping out to a 16-8 lead in the fourth set, the Lancers ripped off five straight points and began to claw back. The Mariners still maintained a 21-18 lead, but saw it crumble as the Lancers closed the set on an 8-0 run which included three kills by Trinity's Beatrice Gamboa-Estrella. When the fifth and deciding set reached the midway point, the score was knotted up at 7-7. Two consecutive attack errors by the Mariners then propelled the Lancers into the lead. Two straight kills by Bliss Brown tied the set up 9-9, but three straight Worcester kills gave them the breathing room they needed, and they scored three of the final four points to take the set 15-12.

Bliss recorded a triple-double to lead the Mariners, finishing with 15 kills, 18 assists, and 19 digs. Sarah Aviles added 13 kills, and Jenna Blankenship (Virden, Ill.) handed out 15 assists. Five Mariners recorded double-digit digs, led by Julia Lent's 24. Brown added 19, Julianna Repaci (New Britain, Conn.) had 13, while Blum and Blankenship were each credited with 11.

Beatrice Gamboa-Estrella led Worcester State with 12 kills, Angela Colonis recorded 22 assists, and Cassie Millea led the way with a team-high 23 digs.

The Mariners (2-3) will look to rebound when they host Eastern Connecticut State University in their home opener on Thursday, September 14th, at 7:00 pm. The Lancers (3-2) jump right back into action against host Trinity University to close out Saturday's tri-match.