Junior Lillian Caldwell was the hot hand on Wednesday, recording a career-high 14 kills to lead the Middlebury volleyball team to a 3-0 victory over Union College on Wednesday.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers rallied early in the opener after losing the first four points with a 7-0 run highlighted by three consecutive kills from Ava Tuccio to take a 7-4 advantage.
• Union cut the deficit down to two (8-6) after a Middlebury service error before a 7-2 run bookended by cross-court winners by Caldwell swelled the lead to 14-8.
• The Garnet Chargers surged late, cutting the deficit to one (24-23) after a 5-0 spurt that included three Panther attack errors.
• Molly Harrison  denied a chance for extra points with her fourth kill to secure the opener, 25-23.
• Middlebury came out firing to begin the second, using two kills by Lauren Baxter and back-to-back blocks from Gabby Pribisich and Harrison to help race ahead by eight at 10-2.
• Harrison continued to help the visitors keep their foot on the gas pedal, sparking a 9-3 run capped by a solo block from Baxter to take the largest lead of the set  at 18-6.
• Kayla Martinez Cartagena helped cut Middlebury's cushion down to nine (20-11) with her third kill of the evening before another 5-0 rush gave the visitors a 25-11 victory in the second frame.
• Both teams began the third stanza fighting for positioning, splitting the first 20 points.
• Caldwell broke the tug of war in a big way, netting three kills in five points to jump ahead by five at 16-11.
• Union tried to claw its way back into the set, using kills by Graciela Escobar, Adrienne Long and Maddie McCarron to widdle the lead back down to three (22-19).
• The Panthers stood tall late, as a free ball allowed Gabbie O'Toole to set up Sophie Fisher for a kill straight down the middle to secure a 25-21 victory and extend the winning streak to eight-straight matches. 

NOTES

• Caldwell's 14-kill performance bests her previous high of 12.
• Annabella Rando extended her streak of double-digit digs to eight consecutive battles, recording 18 in Wednesday's triumph.
• O'Toole's 38 assists defeated her previous career mark (37) that ended in a three-set match. She has also recorded 20 or more assists in 87 of 88 matches played in a Middlebury uniform. 
• The programs played for the 25th time with the Panthers now holding a 17-8 edge and winning the last four matchups.

Middlebury returns home for a NESCAC weekend starting Friday against Bates at 7:00 p.m.