The Middlebury volleyball team battled Williams in four tightly-contested sets, falling 3-1 in the NESCAC-opening match for both teams. The Ephs won the opening set 26-24, before the Panthers evened the match with a 25-19 triumph in the second stanza. Williams claimed sets three (27-25) and four (26-24) to earn the victory.  

HIGHLIGHTS

• Trailing 7-2 in the opening set, the Panthers rattled off an 11-2 run for a 13-9 lead on a Williams' attacking error. Middlebury's Lexi Linafelter had a pair of kills during the run, while Laney Sullivan recorded two-consecutive service aces.
• The Ephs answered with an 8-2 spurt, posting a 17-15 edge on a kill down the line by Morgan Persky.
• Middlebury slowly chipped into the deficit, tying the set 23-23 on a looping cross-court kill from Katie Kraczkowsky.
• Tied at 24-24, back-to-back kills by Celia Adams gave the Ephs the 26-24 set victory.
• In the second stanza, the Panthers earned a 13-5 advantage on a kill from Britt Lange and maintained control for the middle portion of the set.
• The Ephs sliced the lead to four (22-18) on a cross-court swing by Christina Conforti. 
• The Panthers leveled the match at a set apiece when Stephanie Mayer and Ava Tuccio combined on a block for the decisive point and the 25-19 win.
• Down 4-0 in the third set, Middlebury recorded 11 of the next 15 points for an 11-9 edge. Williams responded with an 8-2 run, grabbing a 17-13 advantage on a kill down the line from Adams.
• The Panthers tied the set at 18-18 and secured a 24-22 edge on a kill by Tuccio.
• Williams scored the next three points for a 25-24 advantage, before Middlebury knotted the score 25-25 on a Williams' hitting error. 
• A kill from Marit Hoyem and a Hoyem service ace into the back-right corner gave the Ephs the 27-25 triumph.
• Behind 5-2, Williams knotted the fourth set (7-7) on a kill by Anna Tosolini. 
• Neither team had more than a two-point edge until the Ephs took a 21-18 advantage on a hitting miscue by the Panthers.
• Middlebury scored five of the next seven points for a narrow 23-22 lead, but the Ephs posted four of the final five points for a 26-24 set victory to secure the win. 

NOTES

• Mayer tied a career high with eight kills for the Panthers.
• Kelly Ferrero, the NESCAC leader in digs per set, posted a match-best 34 digs. That mark establishes a career-high total for a four-set match.
• Kraczkowsky (11 kills, 10 digs) and Gabbie O'Toole (33 assists, 14 digs) each finished with a double-double. 
• O'Toole continues her streak of 20 assists or more in every match for her career, finishing with a season-best 33 in a four-set contest.