HOBOKEN, NJ (September 27, 2017) – Junior Devan Gallagher continued to hammer away on Wednesday evening, as the star hitter for Vassar College posted a career-high 28 kills to snap host Stevens Institute of Technology's 13-match win streak in a 3-1 victory for the Brewer women's volleyball team. VC won with scores of 25-23, 25-22, 24-26 and 25-23.
 
In the opening set, the Brewers (11-3) and Ducks were back and forth the entire way, as the largest lead of the game was four at 9-5 in favor of the hosts. Vassar roared back thanks to a 5-1 run at 14-11 to take a 16-15 lead, building a three-point edge at 19-16 after an attack error from Stevens.
 
After a timeout, the Ducks (15-3) scored the next three points to tie the set at 19 before Gallagher ended the run with a kill. The game would be tied twice more, before Vassar scored four of the final five points to earn the set 25-23 thanks to an another attacking miscue from Stevens. Gallagher posted six finishes in the first game, while sophomore Jane McLeod added five terminations.
 
In the second set, Gallagher's right arm continued to lead the Brewers as she tallied 10 terminations in the stanza to pace the way. With the score 6-5 in favor of VC, the Brewers scored six consecutive points to pull away as they led for the remainder of the game.
 
The third game was another see-saw affair, as the set featured 14 different ties while no team led by more than three points. Late in the game, Vassar had match point at 24-23 but was denied of the sweep as Sara Hain and Emily Piekarski posted back-to-back kills to make it 25-24 Stevens. After a VC timeout, Piekarski clinched the set for the Ducks with another termination to send the match to the fourth set.
 
Stevens opened the fourth game with a quick start, collecting the first five points to force a stoppage by head coach Jonathan Penn. After the timeout, VC answered with a 5-0 run of its own to tie the game, eventually taking the first lead of the fourth set at 14-13. VC built its lead up to five at 20-15 after a block by sophomores Jennifer Kerbs and Colette Cambey, but the Ducks pulled back in front with an 8-1 run to make the score 23-21, threatening to take the match to a fifth set.
 
The Brewers showed composure though, as McLeod hammered down a kill followed by terminations from Gallagher and Cambey to give VC match point. After a Stevens timeout at 24-23 Vassar, Gallagher had four different swings to earn the set, finally getting her 28^th and last termination of the night right down the middle of the court to clinch the win for VC.
 
The 28 kills were two more than her previous career best of 26, set in the season-opener this season against Lebanon Valley College and last year in a win over Clarkson. Both of those matches were five-sets, as she averaged seven kills per set on Wednesday evening. Gallagher also hit .302 for the night, adding her eighth double-double of the season with 11 digs.
 
Not to be outdone was McLeod, who finished with 20 kills on 53 attempts, hitting .264 while adding three digs. The 20 kills for the sophomore standout were the most in 2017, eclipsing her previous season-high of 19 set on Saturday against Ithaca College.
 
Setter Annie MacMillan was stellar all night, as she finished with 49 assists and six digs. The assist total was the most in a four-set match this year for MacMillan, who also added a pair of aces. Cambey posted four kills for Vassar, while Kerbs finished with six total blocks in the middle for the Brewers.
 
Senior Bria Corham was strong defensively as she posted eight digs and two assisted blocks, and freshman Anna Zucchero posted a career-high 21 digs in addition to three service aces. Sophomore Jorden Schreeder led all VC players with four aces, as the Brewers finished with 10 total service finishes.
 
Vassar returns to the floor in just two days, hosting the Vassar Quad Match in Kenyon Hall Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. VC will host Western Connecticut State University at 5 p.m. Friday, while taking on Nazareth College at 10 a.m. Saturday. VC finishes action against SUNY Geneseo Saturday at 4 p.m. in the final of six matches in Kenyon Hall this weekend.