POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - The Vassar College Women's Volleyball team earned a hard-fought 14-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20 victory against conference foe William Smith before the Brewers tallied a five-set thrilling comeback victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy 25-17, 22-25, 19-25, 25-12, 15-6 in the nightcap. The Brewers improve to 8-6 overall and 2-1 in conference play while the Herons move to 7-7 overall and 0-1 in conference play and the Mariners fall to 4-7 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS WILLIAM SMITH
- FIRST SET
- The Herons took an early 6-3 lead following a kill from Marin Montagne before the Brewers drew even following an ace from first year Maura McAusland and a winner from first year Holland Kaplan.
- William Smith went on eight point run as Malya Sayre landed three kills to push the Herons ahead 15-8.
- The Herons increased their advantage to 22-11 on a winner from Jaylynn McCarthy before clinching the set on a kill from Sayre.
- SECOND SET
- Vassar answered with an early 8-2 lead in the second set as aces from sophomore Molly Delahunty and McAusland along with kills from McAusland and junior Julia Hale.
- William Smith knocked the lead down to seven at 14-7 on a kill from Sayre before back-to-back aces from McAusland pushed the Brewers ahead by nine.
- The Herons got within three points following three kills from Sayre and an ace from Maysie Malinaric but Vassar clinched the set following a kill and ace from Kaplan along with a winner from sophomore Melia Voss.
- THIRD SET
- William Smith took a 10-7 lead following three kills from Sayre before Vassar rattled off six straight points, led by winners from McAusland and Hale.
- A kill from Kaplan and another ace from McAusland pushed the Brewers ahead 21-13.
- Vassar took the set on a kill from Delahunty that followed a big point from junior Frannie Anthony-Brumfield.
- FOURTH SET
- Vassar ran out to a 10-3 lead as winners from Kaplan and Hale spurred the run for the Brewers along with another ace from McAusland.
- The Herons trimmed the advantage down to 10-8 on a block from McCarthy and Maren Hunt.
- Following a Montagne kill put the Herons within two at 16-14, the Brewers pushed ahead 19-14 on three straight points.
- The Herons got within two points on a kill from Sayre at 21-19 but Vassar took advantage of an ace from Kaplan and a Delahunty kill to earn the match victory.
FOR THE BREWERS
- Kaplan finished with 16 kills, two aces and nine digs while Hale recorded six kills and four blocks.
- McAusland recorded six aces and five kills while Delahunty added four kills and two aces.
- Voss finished the day with 27 assists, five kills and six digs while sophomore Ellie Kogan lifted seven digs.
FOR THE HERONS
- Sayre registered a match-high 22 kills, three aces and six digs while McCarthy tallied 10 kills, two blocks and 10 digs.
- Montagne added nine kills and five digs along with Elaina Wamhoff handing out 35 assists and adding four kills, two blocks and three digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS USMMA
- FIRST SET
- Merchant Marine took an early 6-4 lead on an ace from Alexa Tipps before Vassar fought back and took a 9-8 lead on a kill from Kaplan.
- Stephanie Schatzman's ace put the Mariners ahead 13-12 before the Brewers scored seven straight, capped by an ace from Kogan and two kills from McAusland.
- McAusland landed back-to-back aces to spur the Brewers to a first set victory along with two kills from Hale.
- SECOND SET
- Vassar got ahead 8-5 in the set as Kaplan and Hale led the way with winners before USMMA fought back to go ahead following a block from Meredith Buchanan.
- Following a kill from Voss to take a 15-12 lead, the Mariners scored five straight on kills from Buchanan and Brittany Breeland.
- Vassar got within two points on an ace from first year T Petro before USMMA took the set on a winner from Amy Jones.
- THIRD SET
- USMMA raced out to a 7-1 advantage following an ace from Viriginia Robert and blocks from Jones, Breeland and Tipps.
- Vassar got within three points on two kills from McAusland and one from junior Molly Ardren at 10-7.
- Merchant Marine pushed its lead up to 17-9 on an ace from Buchanan before kills from sophomore Rebecca Gutierrez and Kaplan cut the lead to five.
- Hale's kill put the Brewers within four at 21-17 but a kill from Jones and an ace from Buchanan clinched the third set for the Mariners.
- FOURTH SET
- Both teams traded points in the early stages as the set was tied at eight before Vassar scored three straight, including one kill from McAusland to take a three point lead.
- USMMA got within one on back-to-back kills from Robert and Jones before the Brewers rattled off eight straight points, led by four aces from McAusland and a winner from Kaplan.
- Vassar scored six of the final seven points, capped by kills from Hale, McAusland and Kaplan and blocks from Voss, Kaplan and McAusland.
- FIFTH SET
- Vassar opened up the set with back-to-back winners from Kaplan and McAusland before McAusland landed her eighth ace of the match to go ahead 3-0.
- Kaplan registered two more kills, Kogan landed an ace and Hale, Delahunty and Kaplan recorded blocks to push the lead to 8-1.
- Vassar took seven straight points to go ahead 14-1, led by two kills from Kaplan, a winner from Hale and a double block from Hale and Voss.
- USMMA scored five straight on winners from Buchanan and Breeland before Vassar completed the comeback on a kill from Kaplan.
FOR THE BREWERS
- Kaplan finished the match with 22 kills, three blocks and 11 digs while McAusland recorded 20 kills, eight aces and 18 digs for the Brewers,
- Hale added 10 kills and six blocks while Delahunty registered four kills, four digs and two blocks.
- Voss handed out 36 assists and added two blocks and 15 digs while Kogan lifted 11 digs.
FOR THE MARINERS
- Buchanan had a team-high 14 kills along with two aces, two blocks and 17 digs.
- Breland finished with 10 kills and seven digs while Jones recorded nine kills and three blocks.
- Tipps tallied 29 assists and eight digs while Schatzman lifted 16 digs.
UP NEXT
- Vassar heads to Massachusetts to take on Williams in non-conference action on Wednesday evening.