Colby Box Score
Wesleyan Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, MA (September 25, 2009) -- The Vassar women's volleyball team split its opening round matches at the MIT Invitational on Friday. In the opening match, Vassar defeated Colby College in four sets 3-1 (25-12, 25-18, 23-25, 25-19). In the late evening match against Wesleyan, Vassar was defeated 3-0 (21-25, 14-25, 26-28).

The Brewers, now 9-2 on the season, will play Endicott College at 10:00 a.m. in the Bronze Bracket. Consolation and Final matches are scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

In the opener against Colby, freshman Hilary Koenigs figured in all of Vassar's 41 set assists and classmate Chloe McGuire produced a career high 23 kills and a .348 attaack percentage to lead the Brewers to a four set victory. 

The Brewers started off swiftly with a 25-12 victory and maintained a strong balance in the second set with a 25-18 win. Colby forced a third set with a narrow 25-23 win. But with a defense that produced three players with double figures in digs and a career-high seven serving aces by senior Sarah Potts, the Brewers spun a 25-19 match victory. Potts had a strong match, contributing 10 kills with only two errors, seven digs and four block assists. 

McGuire led the defensive stand with 15 digs. Freshman Christina Verdirame had 13 and senior Jasmin Iskandar chipped in with 10.

In the second match, the Brewers faced a Wesleyan team that had started the season 0-6, but had won its two previous matches against Endicott and Springfield College in its first contest of the MIT Invitational. 

Wesleyan proved a formidable opponent, winning in three straight sets, though the final set was a narrow 28-26 win. McGuire and Potts teamed for 17 kills and senior Tess Johnson had an effective match with seven kills on 18 attempts with a single error.

McGuire continued her dig prowless with 15 and Koenigs added 26 set assists -- snapping her string of eight games with 30 or more assists -- and 10 digs.