Women’s Volleyball Outlasts Dean in Five-Set Road Battle
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell (9-10,2-7 Great North) | 20 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
|
Dean (2-15,0-9 Great North) | 25 | 20 | 25 | 18 | 10 | 2 |
FRANKLIN, Mass. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team picked up a hard-fought road win Tuesday night, edging Dean College in a thrilling five-set Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match, 20-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 15-10, at Pieri Gymnasium.
Mitchell struggled to find its rhythm in the opening set, hitting just .094 as Dean jumped ahead early. The Mariners then adjusted their attack and surged back in the second set behind cleaner execution and improved serving.
After a tightly contested third set that tipped in Dean's favor, Mitchell elevated its performance on both sides of the net. The fourth set saw the Mariners hit an impressive .393, and they dominated the fifth set from the first serve, limiting Dean to a .000 hitting percentage while capitalizing on offensive opportunities to close out the match, 15-10.
Sophomore Genna Hyde (Cypress, TX) paced the offense with 19 kills, 11 digs, and 3 aces, leading all players with 23 total points. Fellow sophomore Molly Wordell (East Haddam, Conn.) added a collegiate career-high 18 kills on a .297 hitting percentage, while freshman Cimber Jenkins (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) chipped in with 11 kills. Junior setter Kiersten Veenstra (Three Rivers, Mich.) dished out 25 assists, with fellow setter Jenna Blankenship (Virden, Ill.) adding 21, as Mitchell spread the offense and kept Dean's defense off balance.
On the defensive end, senior Julia Lent (Miller Place, N.Y.) anchored the back row with a match-high 25 digs, while Mitchell's overall defense helped limit Dean to a .124 hitting percentage for the match.
For Dean, Maddy Seymour led the Bulldogs with 19 kills and 13 digs, while Emma Siniscalchi totaled 22 assists and added an ace. Skylar Raskevitz recorded 16 digs, and Dean combined for 11 service aces in the match.
The Mariners (9-10, 2-7 GNAC) will look to carry their momentum into a home GNAC tri-match on Saturday, hosting New England College and Colby-Sawyer College. The event will also serve as Senior Day for Mitchell.
