HARTFORD, Conn. – The Trinity College women's volleyball team was bested by the visiting Middlebury College Panthers, 3–1, in a NESCAC matchup on Saturday afternoon at Oosting Gymnasium. The Bantams move to 7–3 overall and 0–2 in conference play, while the Panthers improve to 6–4, 2–0 in the NESCAC.
What Happened:
The opening set went into the high 20s as the Bantams battled to keep things close. A 5–1 run capped by a service ace from junior Bella Nash gave Trinity a set point at 26–25, but Middlebury rallied with three straight points to take it, 28–26.
The Panthers carried their momentum into the second set, storming to a 25–15 win.
Trinity responded in the third, racing out to an 11–6 advantage—their largest lead of the match. Middlebury closed the gap to 11–10, but two service aces from Catalina Hendricks helped the Bantams push ahead, 18–13. Despite holding a 22–14 lead, Trinity had to fend off a furious Middlebury rally that cut the score to 24–23. The Bantams ultimately held on for a 25–23 victory, thanks to a Panther attack error.
The fourth set was another hard-fought battle, with Trinity knotting the score at 20–20 before a kill from Emma Ewart put the Bantams ahead, 21–20. However, Middlebury closed with a decisive 5–0 run to seal the set, 25–21, and the match.
Bantam Leaders:
Panther Leaders:
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Libero Annabella Rando led all players with 22 digs.
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Ava Tuccio and Molly Harrison shared match-high honors with 13 kills apiece.
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Campbell Bartley was dominant at setter, recording 40 of Middlebury's 43 assists.
Inside the Numbers:
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Middlebury edged Trinity in kills, 48–47.
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The Panthers hit .199 on 156 swings, while Trinity managed .089 on 179 attempts.
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Trinity held a slight edge in assists (44–43), while both teams totaled 75 digs.
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The Bantams posted five solo blocks and eight block assists; Middlebury finished with four solos and six assists.
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Trinity claimed the advantage from the service line with 11 aces to Middlebury's 8.
Up Next:
The Bantams return to Oosting Gymnasium on Friday, September 26, at 6 p.m. to host Connecticut College in NESCAC play.
