MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Trinity College volleyball team fell to host Wesleyan University, 3-0 (23-25, 15-25, 16-25), in a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) tilt at Silloway Gymnasium Wednesday evening. The Bantams dip to 4-4 on the season and 2-2 in conference play, while the Cardinals improved to 2-0 in the NESCAC and 7-0 overall.

In a highly-competitive first set, a kill from junior Bella Caffuzzi (Brooklyn, N.Y.) gave the Bantams a 2-0 lead, and then a pair of kills from junior Eva Lekovic (San Marino, Calif.) and senior Lola Craig (Los Angeles, Calif.) helped Trinity hold a 8-7 edge. Sophomore Ellie Gordon (The Villages, Fla.) notched a pair of kills to push the Bantams lead to 12-9. Wesleyan grabbed control of the set with a 7-0 run to take a 16-12 lead. Gordon added two more kills to trim the deficit to 17-16. Trailing 21-18, Craig delivered back-to-back kills to bring Trinity within a point, 21-20. Gordon, Craig, and first-year Chloe Gentile (Melrose, Mass.) tallied three straight kills to put Trinity ahead 23-22, but the Cardinals rattled off three consecutive points to win the set, 25-23.

The Cardinals raced to a 6-1 lead in the second set. Down by eight, the Bantams whittled away at the lead with strikes from Gordon and sophomore Maggie Barnes (Fayetteville, N.C.) to make it a 12-7 game. Wesleyan rebuilt their advantage with a 7-3 run to expand the gap to 19-10. Lekovic, Caffuzzi, Gentile, Gordon, and Barnes added kills down the stretch, but the Cardinals took the 25-15 win.

The Bantams grabbed an early 4-2 lead in the third set behind a pair of kills from Caffuzzi, but Wesleyan would take advantage of Trinity errors to regain a 7-4 advantage. The Cardinals used a 10-2 run to pull away, 17-8. Barnes and Lekovic recorded kills to try to halt the Wesleyan run, but a 6-1 outburst by the Cardinals put them on the doorstep, 24-11. The Bantams rattled off five straight points late, featuring a kill and a block from junior Ava Boloyan (American Canyon, Calif.), but Wesleyan would wrap up the 25-16 win.

Caffuzzi and Gordon tallied seven kills apiece, while Craig and Lekovic added six kills each. Sophomore Caroline Howell (Houston, Texas) dished out a match-high 18 assists, while first-year Scarlett Jago (Allentown, Pa.) snared a team-high 15 digs.

Wesleyan sophomore Sophia Lindus (Los Angeles, Calif.) recorded a match-high 11 kills with eight digs. Senior Kathryn Morton (Dripping Springs, Texas) added nine kills, while sophomore Ali Landa (La Crescenta, Calif.) totaled a team-high 15 assists.

The Bantams will be back on the court when they welcome Montclair State and Regis College to Oosting Gymnasium for a tri-match Saturday. Trinity takes on Regis at Noon, and then Montclair State at 4:00 p.m. Wesleyan hosts Susquehanna in non-conference play Friday at 6:00 p.m.