The Middlebury volleyball team handled its business in Saturday's season-opening twin bill, sweeping SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Brockport to commence the weekend tournament.
HIGHLIGHTS VS. SUNY COBLESKILL
- The Panthers claimed 15 of the first 18 points, headlined by pairs of kills from Ella Beebe, Molly Harrison and Molly MacDonald.
- The Tigers took two of the next three, but the navy and white stacked nine points against three down the stretch to secure a 25-8 decision in the lidlifter. Harrison and MacDonald each posted two accurate attacks in the spurt.
- Natalie Stanford sparked a 5-0 run to open the second stanza with her first collegiate kill. After alternating the next three points, a Cobleskill attack error snowballed into an 8-1 surge that gave Middlebury a 14-3 advantage. Sophie Horn capped the stretch with a trio of putaways.
- Baylee Kirschberg helped the Tigers respond with a sharp swing before a Tori Harrington service ace returned the margin to single digits (14-5).
- The Panthers halted the progress, nabbing six of the next seven to lead 20-6. Harrison began the surge with a kill and service ace before clinching the set (25-10) with a well-placed swing nine points later.
- A Sophie Fisher kill and Devin McCormack service ace aided a 5-0 opening to the final session. The teams traded small runs over the ensuing 19 points, with a kill from Cobleskill's Emma Hinze and an attack error arranging a 15-9 score.
- The navy and white claimed six of the next eight tallies with a trio of two-point swings. Cobleskill parried with a 6-1 run to trim the lead to five, but Mischa Pendleton and Eliza Lowe posted consecutive kills to finalize the set (25-18) and the match.
HIGHLIGHTS VS. SUNY BROCKPORT
- Knotted at two apiece in the first frame, Harrison and Campbell Bartley posted kills during a 4-0 swing to take a 6-2 lead.
- A tug-of-war ensued across the remainder of the set, with Middlebury outpacing the Golden Eagles by three (19-16) to earn a 25-18 decision. Harrison logged kills on each of the final three points to secure the 1-0 edge in the match.
- Gabby Pribisich headlined an 8-3 opening to the second frame with a pair of accurate attacks. Brockport's Luba Butcher answered with consecutive kills before a service ace brought the margin to two (8-6).
- The Panthers pushed the envelope with a 10-3 run, punctuated by two Harrison putaways, to move in front 18-9. Four different athletes tallied kills over the final 10 points to run away with a 25-12 decision.
- Butcher and Kaylee Dickerson-Holly posted two sharp swings each amidst a 9-1 spurt to commence the third frame. Middlebury remained in striking distance, outmaneuvering the Golden Eagles 9-7 to shrink the deficit to six (16-10).
- Stanford tallied a pair of putaways amidst an 8-1 surge to help the navy and white regain the advantage, 18-17.
- Harrison logged two kills and a service ace to power a 7-4 conclusion to the set, securing the 25-21 decision and the squad's second sweep of the day.
NOTES
- Harrison totaled 19 kills and 17 digs over both contests.
- Stanford posted 12 accurate attacks and five total blocks across her first two collegiate matches.
- Bartley distributed 29 assists, while Chloe Cunniffe posted 26 helpers.
- The Panthers and Tigers met for the first time in volleyball.
- Middlebury's clash with Brockport was the second in series history and the first since 2017.
The Panthers conclude the weekend tomorrow, facing St. Lawrence at 11:00 a.m. before taking on host Clarkson at 1:30 p.m.
