After grinding out a 25-20 decision in the opening frame, the Middlebury volleyball team conceded just 21 points across the final two sets to sweep Skidmore on Tuesday evening inside Pepin Gymnasium.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Knotted at 3-3 in the opener, Chloe Heitman and Cece Kilroy each logged two kills amidst a 6-1 surge that helped the Thoroughbreds gallop ahead, 9-4.
- The Panthers capitalized on a trio of attack errors over the next 10 points, and Ella Beebe found the floor to cap the 7-3 swing and slice the margin to one (12-11).
- Each side claimed six of the ensuing 12 tallies. Heitman paced the visitors with three accurate attacks, while Mischa Pendleton recorded two successful swings for the navy and white.
- Middlebury snatched the momentum with eight of the final 10 points to secure the 25-20 outcome. Molly Harrison collected putaways on each of the last three points to seal the stanza.
- The hosts did not slow down in the second frame, embarking on a 14-2 expedition that featured three kills apiece from Harrison and Natalie Stanford. Stanford also picked up three block assists during the spell.
- Kilroy found the floor to end the surge, but five Panthers logged swings in an 11-5 closeout to take the set by a lopsided 25-7 figure.
- A pair of Stanford finishes built a 4-1 advantage early in the third session. A 6-5 division of the ensuing tallies set the score at 10-6 in favor of the hosts.
- Harrison and Stanford powered the group late in the decisive frame, combining for five kills during a 15-8 run to finalize the set (25-14) and the sweep.
NOTES
- Harrison finished with a team-high 14 kills at a blistering .636 hitting percentage, marking her 70th career effort with double-digit putaways.
- Stanford contributed 11 accurate attacks (.429) and tied Gabby Pribisich with a game-high four blocks.
- Chloe Cunniffe narrowly missed a double-double with 21 assists and eight digs.
- Middlebury posted a team hitting percentage of .440, the best single-match mark for the program since the 2021 campaign.
- The Panthers and Thoroughbreds squared off for the 36th time, with the navy and white possessing a 28-8 lead and a 19-match winning streak in the series.
Middlebury returns to Pepin Gymnasium on Saturday when it hosts Hamilton at 12:00 p.m.
