Despite Historic Day for Brown, Volleyball Swept at GNAC Tri-Match

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team suffered a pair of 3-2 losses on the road Saturday, dropping a five set thriller to the University of Saint Joseph, before falling again in five sets to Colby-Sawyer College at James A. Calhoun Gymnasium.

During the second match of the day, junior Bliss Brown (Rainbow City, Ala.) collected 37 kills, the most in a single match in the Division III era of the Mitchell program, surpassing her own mark of 33 kills which she notched earlier this season in a road match at Albertus Magnus.

In the first match against the host Blue Jays, the Mariners came out strong, taking the opening set by a score of 25-13. USJ responded with a 25-18 win, before Mitchell pulled ahead with a 25-21 victory. The fourth stanza belonged to the Blue Jays, who pulled it out by a score of 25-22, and they then went on to outlast Mitchell 15-13 in the fifth and deciding set.

Bliss Brown delivered 31 kills in the match and added 11 digs for the Mariners, while Allison Blum (Garden Grove, Cali.) led the team with 21 digs and Jenna Blankenship (Virden, Ill.) dished out a match-high 25 assists. Blankenship also added 18 digs, while Julia Lent (Miller Place, N.Y.) was credited with 19 digs.

Shannon Carey collected 16 kills for the Blue Jays, while Fernanda Ayala Rodriguez racked up a match-best 29 digs.

Looking to bounce back against the Chargers of Colby-Sawyer, Mitchell dropped the opening set 25-19 but then rebounded with a 25-21 win. The Mariners then came out on top 27-25, before the Chargers took the fourth set 25-22 and the fifth 15-11.

Once again it was Brown leading the offensive charge, setting the program record for kills in a match with 37, surpassing her previous record of 33. Brown added 25 digs, her second most this season, while Blankenship had another strong match with 23 assists and 23 digs, Hannah O'Brien (Riverside, R.I.) tallied 14 digs and 13 assists, and Julia Lent was credited with 19 digs and eight assists. Julianna Repaci (New Britian, Conn.) added 11 digs for Mitchell.

Katie Mollberg had a team-high 20 kills for the Chargers.

The Mariners (6-13, 4-8 GNAC) return to action on Saturday, October 21st, when they host Anna Maria College on Senior Day at 1:00 pm.