The Middlebury volleyball team fell in three tightly-contested sets (25-22, 25-20, 25-18) to Colby on Friday evening in Maine. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• A tight back-and-forth opening set saw the Mules turn a 14-13 edge into a four-point advantage (18-13) following a service ace by Sydney Bopp.
• The Panthers slowly chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to 24-22 before a kill from LJ Grant gave the hosts the set and a 1-0 lead.
• Clinging to a 9-8 edge in the middle frame, Colby rattled off six-straight points for a 15-8 advantage on an ace from Gabby Grujic.
• Middlebury pulled to within five (17-12) on a kill by Katie Kraczkowsky, but the Mules responded with three-consecutive points and eventually led 24-15.
• The Panthers didn't go quietly, rattling off a quick 5-0 spurt to move within four (24-20) on a cross-court kill from Kraczkowsky.
• Following a Colby timeout, a swing by Sarah Friedrichs gave the Mules the 25th point and a two-set lead.
• Knotted at 4-4 in the third stanza, Colby manufactured a 7-3 run for an 11-7 advantage. 
• Molly Harrison recorded back-to-back kills to pull Middlebury to within two (11-9), but the Mules tallied 10 of the next 12 points and cruised to the three-set victory.

NOTES

• Harrison finished with her eighth double-double of the season and sixth in the last seven matches. The first-year Panther finished with a team-best 13 kills and tied for team-high honors with 17 digs.
• Gabbie O'Toole also posted a double-double, dishing out 25 assists to go with 14 digs.
• The programs played for the 38th time with Middlebury possessing a 26-12 advantage.
• Colby's victory snapped a 15-match winning streak for the Panthers in the series.

Middlebury returns to action on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. league contest at Bates.