NORTHAMPTON, MA – The Vassar College women's volleyball team shook off an early loss to Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon, rebounding to take a three-set win over host Smith College in day two of the Volleyball Hall of Fame Tournament. VC fell to Wesleyan 26-24, 25-16 and 25-23, while taking a 25-11, 27-25 and 25-23 decision over the Pioneers.

Wesleyan 3, Vassar 0
The Cardinals of Wesleyan University (5-10) posted 11 total blocks against the Brewers in the opening match of the day for VC, making it difficult for Vassar to get it going offensively. On the other side, the Cardinals hit over .300 in each of the first two sets, posting just three attacking errors.

In the first set Vassar College hit .167 for the game, but posted a whopping 16 kills throughout. VC fell behind 8-0 early but rallied back to tie the match at 14 after an attack error by WU. The game remained close, with the teams alternating points from 20 until 24. With the set deadlocked at 24, Sarah Swenson tallied a kill and the Cardinals earned the game on an ace by Madeleine Lundberg.

The second set saw the Cardinals hit .407 while keeping the Brewers attack at bay to earn a 2-0 match advantage. In the third, Vassar trailed 24-21 late in the set but posted back-to-back points to pull to within one after kills by freshmen Lauren Ninkovich (Portland, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) and Annie MacMillan (Colorado Springs, CO/Coronado). In the end though, Swenson finished the game on her 10^th kill of the match to lift WU to the win.

Freshman Devan Gallagher (San Francisco, CA/Urban School of San Francisco) attacked at a .400 hitting rate, posting a team-best 11 kills on 20 attempts. It was the 15^th match this season that Gallagher has finished with double-digit kills. Sophomore Bria Corham (Kansas City, MO/Montville Township) added seven kills and three aces, while Gabby Miller (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon) finished with eight kills, seven digs, four aces and two blocks.

MacMillan had a balanced and solid contest for the Brewers, chalking up four kills, 23 assists and six digs, while senior Chloe Hallum (Olympia, WA/Olympia) led the defense with a match-best 12 digs.

Vassar 3, Smith 0
The Brewers were able to bounce back in the second match of the day against Smith, pounding down 42 attacks en route to a straight set victory. This year, 11 of Vassar's 13 wins have been in three sets while only six of the team's 26 matches have gone longer than three sets.

The big statistic of the day for the Brewers came from Hallum, who chalked up a season-best 28 digs in only three sets to lead all defenders. It was the most digs in a match for Hallum since accumulating 29 against Connecticut College back on October 26, 2013.

VC led for much of the first set, but it was close early as the Brewers held a 8-7 advantage, but VC pushed its lead out to seven at 17-10 after a termination from Corham. Vassar kept the pedal down and ended the set on an 8-0 run, powered by sophomore Alex Sams (Los Angeles, CA/Beverly Hills) with her two kills and two blocks.

In the second set, Vassar again led big late in the game but the Pioneers (4-21) rallied from being down 20-13 to tie the match at 24 after fighting off a pair of set points. Smith thwarted another chance by VC to end the set, but kills by sophomore Sophia Tiajoloff (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) and Gallagher pushed the Brewers to the 27-25 win.

The third game saw the Pioneers lead through the middle parts, taking their largest advantage of the game at 19-15. VC slowly chipped away at the deficit, and tied the match at 22 on a kill by Miller. Vassar took its first lead since 14-13 at 23-22, and clinched the match on a solo block by Tiajoloff.

Miller powered the Brewers attack against Smith, chalking up 13 kills in the win. MacMillan added 31 assists, five aces and eight digs, while Corham registered nine successful attacks and five digs. Gallagher finished with eight balls pounded down, and senior Paige Benson (Elk Grove, CA/Bradshaw Christian School) tied her career high with seven digs.

VC chalked up 71 total digs on the match, the most this year in any match regardless of the length. The 71 defensive saves were also the most in a three-set match since September 14, 2013 against Stevenson University when the Brewers chalked up 83.

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Vassar College is back in action Wednesday for its final home match of the 2015 campaign, as it hosts Senior Day for Hallum and Benson at 7 p.m. in Kenyon Hall.