The Middlebury volleyball team continued its winning ways on Saturday, sweeping UMass Dartmouth 3-0 in a match hosted by Williams. Gabbie O'Toole also made history during the triumph, moving into second place all-time in career assists with 2,895 after dishing out 31 in the victory.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Panthers and Corsairs traded points early in the opening set before a block by O'Toole and Gabby Pribisich sparked a 9-0 run to jolt ahead 15-5. 
• Kate Wade and Olivia Seutter pushed UMass Dartmouth back within six (16-10) on consecutive kills.
• Soutter rallied the troops with two more successful attacks to cut the deficit to three (17-14).
• Middlebury weathered the blitz, closing the set with three consecutive points, including back-to-back kills by Lauren Baxter, to take the opener 25-18.
• A battle for momentum began early in the second frame. Both teams split the opening 16 points until a Pribisich kill and Corsair attack error pushed the Panthers ahead by two (10-8).
• UMass Dartmouth did not go away quietly, taking its first lead of the set since 3-2 with a kill by Allison Pate and a service ace from Monika Kristjansdottir to make it 18-17. 
• The cat and mouse game continued until another ace by Kristjansdottir put the Corsairs on the doorstep (25-24) of tying the match at one apiece.
• Middlebury capped the second frame (28-26) by winning three out of the final four points, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Ava Tuccio and Molly Harrison. 
• UMass Dartmouth flipped the script in the third stanza, racing to an 8-5 edge led by three kills from Wade. 
• The Panthers turned the corner immediately with three service aces in four attempts by Lillian Caldwell to take a 10-8 lead and force a Corsair timeout.
• Middlebury continued to put its foot on the gas pedal, jumping ahead by five (22-16) on consecutive UMass Dartmouth attack errors. 
• The Corsairs made things interesting late, pulling within one (22-21) on a kill by Sabrina Bordone before Baxter's 11th kill and an attack error by UMass Dartmouth sealed the third (25-22) and the Panthers' seventh-consecutive victory.

NOTES

• O'Toole passed Katie Kenney '02 for second all-time in career assists. The senior needs 105 more to become the second player in the program's history to have 3,000 in a career. 
• Baxter recorded her eighth match this season with at least 10 kills.
• Tuccio tied her career high with three solo blocks.
• Middlebury's seven-match winning streak is its longest since earning 14-consecutive victories to begin the 2021 campaign.
• Saturday's contest was the first meeting between the Panthers and Corsairs in volleyball.

Middlebury hits the road for a non-league contest at Union on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.