Vassar Women’s Volleyball Takes Four Set Victory

By Steven Merritt

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Vassar College Women’s Volleyball team overcame a slow start as the Brewers defeated RIT 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-20 in a Liberty League matchup at Kenyon Hall on Friday evening. The Brewers improve to 11-8 overall and 4-1 in conference play while the Tigers fall to 7-18 overall and 2-3 in league action.

First Set
Both teams were tied at five all following a kill from first year Holland Kaplan before RIT scored seven of the next eight points to go ahead 12-6 on a Jenell Hall service ace.
Vassar fought back to bring the set within four at 17-13 following an ace from first year T Petro and a block from junior Frannie Anthony-Brumfield and sophomore Rebecca Gutierrez.

RIT expanded its lead to 22-14 on an ace from Grace Phelan and took the first set on a kill from Samantha Cox.

Second Set
The Tigers jumped out to a 6-1 lead as kills from Cox and Sydney Neff tallied the early points.

Vassar cut the lead to one on a block from Gutierrez and a winner from first year Maura McAusland before RIT increased its lead to 15-10 on an ace from Hailey Blixt.

Following a winner from Neff to make it 18-16, the Brewers tallied five straight points on a kill from McAusland and an ace from Petro.

RIT got within a point at 23-22 on a winner from Macie Joliffe but Vassar scored the final two points on a kill each from Anthony-Brumfield and Kaplan.

Third Set
RIT took an early 9-4 lead as Mia Gerber buried two winners along with kills from Catherine Vento, Neff and Phelan.

Vasar battled back to take a 13-11 lead following an ace from Gutierrez and a block from sophomore Melia Voss and Anthony-Brumfield.

The Tigers regained the lead at 21-20 following VC attack errors before the Brewers scored the final five points in the set as kills from Gutierrez and Anthony-Brumfield spurred Vassar to the set victory.

Fourth Set
Vassar took a 10-3 lead on a kill from junior Julia Hale and an ace from Voss.

The Brewers expanded their lead to 18-9 as Anthony-Brumfield landed back-to-back aces along with winners from Kaplan and sophomore Molly Delahunty.

RIT drew within 22-19 on a winner from Vento but the Brewers earned the match victory on the fifth ace of the match from Anthony-Brumfield.

For The Brewers
Kaplan finished the match with 11 kills, seven digs and three aces while Hale notched six kills and three blocks.

Delahunty added six kills and two blocks along with Gutierrez tallying five winners and four blocks.

Anthony-Brumfield recorded four kills, five aces and three blocks along with McAusland adding four kills, two aces and eight digs.

Voss and junior Molly Ardren each handed out 13 assists while Petro tallied a team-high 11 digs and added two aces.

For The Tigers
Vento and Gerber each buried nine kills and two blocks while Cox and Jolliffe each tallied eight kills.

Phelan finished with five kills and two aces and Jada Lee notched two aces.

Neff registered a match-high 37 assists, four kills and a match-high 16 digs.