The Middlebury volleyball team won the first two sets and the final stanza during a four-set victory (25-19, 25-14, 18-25, 25-13) over Trinity (7-7, 0-3) on Friday evening. The Panthers (8-3, 3-1) return to action Saturday on the road with a 1:00 p.m. match at Endicott.

Up 11-10 in the first set, the Panthers recorded a 7-3 run for an 18-13 lead on a Bantam attack error. Trinity chipped away at the deficit, moving to within 21-19 on a service ace by Emma McGraw. Middlebury tallied the final four points of the set, capped by a cross-court kill from Shea Golden for a 1-0 lead.

In the second set, Middlebury raced out to an 8-3 lead on a kill by Jaime Donnelly. The Bantams gradually cut into the Panther advantage, coming to within 14-10 on a Middlebury hitting miscue. The visitors recorded a 6-1 spurt, posting a 20-11 advantage on a Trinity attack error and eased to the set victory and a 2-0 edge.

The third set saw the Bantams put together a quick 4-1 run and take a 10-6 lead on a kill from Wyllie Boughton. The Panthers gradually inched closer, pulling to within 14-12 via a kill by Corley Doyle. Trinity utilized a pair of 4-0 runs over the remainder of the set, cutting the Panther lead to 2-1.

Ahead 4-3 in the final set, Middlebury rattled off a 7-1 spurt, including two kills each from Doyle and Donnelly, for an 11-4 advantage. With the Panthers up 18-9 on a Lucy Ambach service ace, a kill from Boughton brought the hosts back to within 18-12. Middlebury tallied seven of the final eight points, capped by a service ace on match point from Gigi Alper and earned the 3-1 NESCAC road win.  

Doyle and Golden paced the Middlebury offense with 12 and nine kills, respectively, while Maggie Wise had eight. Chellsa Ferdinand handed out a match-high 21 assists to go along with nine digs and three service aces. Emma Walsh added 17 assists and 12 digs, while Alper dug up 23 balls. Doyle finished with a block solo and four block assists, while Ambach posted three service aces.

Conde led Trinity with 11 kills, while Boughton produced eight. Jessica Yang dished out 20 assists, while McGraw added 17. Boughton finished with a team-best 14 digs, while Paola Matos had 12. Conde ended the match with a pair of block solos.