POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Vassar College women's volleyball team began a five-match homestand by welcoming Stevens to Kenyon Hall on Wednesday night.  In a tightly-contested four-set battle, the Ducks (14-3) held off the Brewers (8-6) by a 25-22, 25-23, 24-26, 25-19 count.
 
There were 15 ties and eight lead changes in a first set that established the tone for the entire match.  Vassar jumped out to a 9-6 advantage before Stevens went on a 6-1 run to go up 12-10.  After the Brewers regained the lead, 16-15, on a block by Devan Gallagher (San Francisco, CA) and Sara Ehnstrom (Kaneohe, HI), the sides traded the next 12 points.  However, the Ducks used a 4-0 spurt to reach set point at 24-21, and Stevens took the opening frame, 25-22.
 
Stevens took control of the second set early on, building a 9-4 cushion.  After Vassar pulled within one at 12-11, the Ducks won five of the next six points to bring the margin back to five, 17-12.  Back-to-back Jane McLeod (New York, NY) kills again got the Brewers within one at 22-21, but Stevens countered with two straight points to earn a set point opportunity.  Vassar fought off two set points before the Ducks closed out the stanza, 25-23, and took a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
After the sides traded the first 10 points of the third set, Stevens used a 7-1 spurt to open up a 12-6 advantage.  The Brewers claimed 13 of the next 20 points, though, to level the score at 19-19.  The teams then exchanged side outs again until Vassar reached set point at 24-23.  A Shelby Stewart block tied it at 24-24, but a McLeod kill gave the Brewers another set point.  This time they converted, as Vassar extended the match with a 26-24 set win.
 
In the fourth set, Vassar raced out to a 3-0 lead before Stevens went on a 12-4 rally to go in front.  The Ducks extended the margin to eight at 23-15, but the Brewers countered with the next two points.  Stevens reached match point at 24-17, though, and the Ducks closed out the contest on their third opportunity.  By taking the fourth set, 25-19, Stevens secured the 3-1 match win, its 14^th consecutive victory.
 
McLeod led the Brewers with 19 kills, and Ehnstrom added 13 kills on .343 hitting.  Gallagher and Annie MacMillan (Colorado Springs, CO), meanwhile, each posted a double-double.  Gallagher finished with 10 kills and 25 digs, while MacMillan had 46 assists and 10 digs.  Anna Zucchero (Newton, MA) contributed 26 digs, Lauren Ninkovich (Portland, OR) tallied 13 digs and Jorden Schreeder (Saratoga, CA) collected 10 digs.  As a team, the Brewers registered 97 digs, one short of their season-high.  Vassar also hit .148 (52 kills, 23 errors, 196 attempts) in the match.
 
For Stevens, Taleen Mitchell recorded 19 kills, 22 digs and four blocks.  Stewart also had a double-double with 13 kills and 10 blocks, while Sara Hein finished with 10 kills.  Brianna Perez handed out 26 assists, and Julie Greco added 18 assists.  Elizabeth Chu finished with 34 of the Ducks' 107 digs.  Jillian Roumbanis tallied 20 digs and Roxy Stirb posted 15 digs.  Stevens outblocked Vassar 12-4 and hit .191 (57-22-183) as a team.
 
On Friday night, Vassar continues its homestand with a 7 p.m. matchup against Kean.  It'll be the second meeting of the season between the squads.  The Cougars (12-6) notched a 3-1 victory over the Brewers in New Jersey on Sept. 2.