Hartford, Conn. – The Trinity College volleyball team rallied from a 1-0 deficit against Wesleyan, winning the final three games to score its first New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) victory of the season on Friday evening at Oosting Gymnasium. With the 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, 27-25 come-from-behind win, the Bantams improve to 8-4 on the year on 1-2 in league action, while the Cardinals dropped their fourth straight to fall to 6-5 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

Trinity junior tri-captain Kate Giddens (Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif.) led the offensive attack and tied a season-high with 17 kills, while junior outside hitter Hunter Drews (Clifton Park, N.Y.) registered 11 kills for the Bantams. Giddens has now recorded double-digit kill totals in 11 of Trinity's 12 matches and Drews has recorded 10 or more kills five times in 2014. Setter Gina Buzzelli (Cheshire, Conn.) dished out 19 assists and Randi Whitham (South Weymouth, Mass.) added 13 to help Trinity win its sixth in a row against their in-state rival.

Wesleyan was led offensively by first-year Sarah Small and sophomore Naja Lewis who each had eight kills, while first-year Sarah Swenson and classmate Tyla Taylor each added six apiece. Cardinals setter Claire Larson had a strong games registering a match-high 23 assists.

Defensively, Giddens and first-year outside hitter Grace Metry (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.) tied for  team-best 20 digs, while sophomore defensive specialist Rachel Savage had a match-leading 27 for Wesleyan.

In the opening game, the two conference foes traded points early as neither team lead led by more than three through the first 30 points. With the score knotted at 17, Trinity scored three straight points capped by a Giddens kill to take a 20-17 lead. Wesleyan would rally and score five unanswered points to take a 22-20 advantage. With the score tied at 22, the Cardinals reeled off three straight points capped by an ace to take a 1-0 lead.

Trinity answered back in the second game registering points early and often. The Bantams stretched their lead to as many as 10 at 19-9 after a Giddens kill. Down the stretch, Wesleyan would cut into the deficit with senior Nathalie Wildenradt at the service line, but Trinity held on for the 25-14 victory courtesy of a Cardinals ball handling error to even that match at one.

The Bantams were impressive early in the third game building a big lead and ended strong to score a 25-22 triumph to take a 2-1 lead. Trailing 22-13, Wesleyan went on a 9-0 run with senior Brittany Lo at the service line to steal the momentum away from Trinity and the tie contest at 22. The Bantams would hold their ground and score the final three points of the game.

Trinity and Wesleyan went back and forth in the fourth game, with the Cardinals grabbing a 21-18 lead after a kill by Taylor. The Bantams scored three straight to tie the game at 21. Both teams traded kills twice with both squads scoring on their serves to tie the contest at 23. After a Lewis kill for Wesleyan, a Giddens kill tied the game at 24. Trailing, 25-24, Trinity scored the final three points of the game as an ace by Giddens gave the Bantams its second win a row.

Trinity concludes a home weekend of action on Saturday, Sept. 27, with a non-conference clash with Husson inside Oosting Gymnasium starting at 1:00 p.m. Tomorrow's contest is the first-ever between the Bantams and the Eagles as Trinity is looking for its third straight home victory.