Vassar College Athletics

Poughkeepsie, NY - The Vassar College Women's Volleyball team opened the 2026 season at home on Tuesday evening as the Brewers suffered a 21-25, 17-25, 23-25 loss to Sarah Lawrence at Kenyon Hall. VC drops to 0-1 on the season while the Gryphons begin the year at 1-0.

First Set

• Following the Gryphons going ahead 6-4 to begin the first set, consecutive kills from seniors Maura McAusland and Holland Kaplan evened the set at six.
• Sarah Lawrence pulled ahead 9-6 on two kills from Caroline Combs until a four-point run, led by an ace from senior Francesca Medrano and a winner from junior Erin Lovett, pushed Vassar ahead 11-10.
• The lead went back-and-forth over the middle stages of the set until SLC used a kill from Combs and an ace from Sophia Costa to garner a 20-18 lead.
• The lead grew to 23-19 on a Combs ace and a block from Olivia Richard and Charlee Leonard and the Gryphons took the set on a block from Leonard and Charlotte Siemsen.

Second Set

• Sarah Lawrence ran out to a 10-4 lead to open the second set as Costa's winner put the Gryphons ahead by six.
• VC pulled within 13-9 behind kills from Kaplan, first year Gina O'Connell and sophomore Elena Feuer and an ace from sophomore Amy Melchior.
• SLC's lead expanded to 19-11 on a Leonard kill as the Gryphons pulled ahead to take the second set 25-17 behind kills from Leonard and Richard.

Third Set

• Vassar earned a 5-3 lead in the third stanza as Lovett buried a winner and Medrano landed an ace to lead the way.
• Sarah Lawrence rattled off six straight points to go ahead 10-7 on a Siemsen kill.
• Following a Leonard winner to go ahead 16-10, Vassar collected five straight points behind two McAusland kills, a winner each from O'Connell and Lovett and an ace from Medrano to get within 16-15.
• VC then tied the set at 19 following a kill each from McAusland and Kaplan and an ace from senior T Petro.
• After Lovett's kill to make it 20 all, Sarah Lawrence notched four consecutive points as two aces from Nikolet Vataj pushed the Gryphons ahead 24-20.
• Two aces from Kaplan got VC within a point at 24-23 before a Combs winner completed the sweep for Sarah Lawrence.

For The Brewers

• Lovett garnered 11 kills and a solo block while Kaplan finished with nine kills, two aces and five digs.
• McAusland tallied five kills, a solo block and seven digs along with O'Connell and Feuer each collecting three winners.
• Medrano registered 28 assists, three aces and three digs while Petro recorded a team-high 11 digs and two aces.

For The Gryphons

• Combs finished with 15 kills, four aces and five digs while Vataj posted seven kills, two aces and two digs.
• Leonard notched four kills and five blocks along with Richard adding three kills and five blocks.
• Costa completed an all-around night with two kills, 29 assists, an ace, three blocks and five digs.
• Siemsen chipped in two kills and four blocks while Kai Perkins lifted a match-high 17 digs.

Up Next

• Vassar will host the two-day Vassar Quad beginning on Friday as the Brewers will take on Rivier at 7:00 p.m.
• Sarah Lawrence opens its home schedule against Pratt on Thursday night.