The Middlebury volleyball team battled in a competitive third set, but ultimately fell to 10th-ranked Wesleyan in straight sets on Saturday afternoon in Connecticut.
HIGHLIGHTS
- After a back-and-forth start, the hosts held a 6-5 advantage. The Cardinals then took control, as Carly Grumet logged five putaways across a 19-6 surge to give the hosts a 25-11 decision in the first set.
- Wesleyan secured five of the first six points in the second stanza, headlined by a pair of Mila Chan kills. The Panthers parried with a 4-1 swing, with Molly Harrison and Gabby Pribisich each finding the floor to tighten the set to 6-5.
- The sides traded the next seven points, headlined by a pair of putaways from Mischa Pendleton, to keep the navy and white within striking distance at 10-8. A 15-5 Cardinal run with trios of kills from Fiona LaCamera and Siena Steines sealed a second-set score of 25-13.
- Knotted at 3-3 in the third frame, Middlebury rattled off six of the ensuing seven tallies to build a 9-4 cushion. Eliza Lowe joined Harrison and Pendleton with accurate attacks in the stretch.
- Wesleyan flipped the script with a 9-1 surge that featured three kills from Grumet and two from Paulina Marino-Bindi to move back in front, 13-10.
- After a 6-6 split of the next 12 points with pairs of swings from Natalie Stanford and Chan, the Panthers tallied four of the next five points to level the frame at 20-20.
- The hosts used a 5-2 stretch to take the set (25-23) and the sweep.
NOTES
- Cunniffe logged her third career double-double with 11 assists and 10 digs.
- Stanford tallied a team-high seven kills, while Pendleton finished with six putaways at a .400 clip.
- The programs met for the 37th time.
The Panthers return to Pepin Gymnasium on Tuesday, hosting Skidmore at 7:00 p.m.
