Wildcats Stage Huge 3-2 Comeback Over Lynx

CAMBRIDGE, Mass/ – Bay Path College came back from a 2-0 deficit and twice fought off match point in a hard-fought 18-16 fifth set victory in earning a 3-2 road win over Lesley University Saturday afternoon at the Nicholas Athletics Center in New England Collegiate Conference women's volleyball play.

The Lynx came back from a 19-11 deficit to earn a 25-22 win in the opening set and overcame a 14-7 margin in taking Game 2, 25-23. Bay Path held onto a 13-5 lead in the middle set and 14-8 in Game 4, winning each by the score of 25-15. 

The Wildcats controlled the early stages of the deciding set, led 8-5 as the teams switched sides and looked poised to cruise when leading 11-6.  Lesley fought back with an 8-4 run in which freshman Danielle Johnson (Waterford, CT/Waterford) earned three kills and served two aces, the second of which faced Lesley with match point, 14-13. 

Two attack errors from Lesley's Megan Ortwein (Shanghai, China/American School) turned match point over to the Wildcats at 15-14, but and Ortwein kill and Bay Path error again gave match point to the Lynx at 16-15. 

Kacie Bayreuther's (East Lyme, CT/East Lyme) kill from Ashley Provost (Ludlow, MA/Ludlow) tied the set at 16-16, and after an illegal set from Lesley's Kaitlyn Miller (Leesport, PA/Schulykill), Provost assisted on the match-winning kill to Nadine Harkless (Westfield, MA/Westfield) to complete the comeback. 
            
Harkless led all players with 22 kills, and paced five Wildcats in double figures with 23 digs. Provost tossed a match-best 36 assists and added 20 digs as Bay Path improved to 9-8 overall and 2-1 in NECC play.
          
Johnson continued her stellar play for the Lynx, leading the way with 16 kills while adding 22 digs. Miller set a team-best 32 assists and chipped in with 16 digs, and Ortwein added 13 kills and 15 digs. Freshman Rachel Frederickson led the Lesley defense with 27 digs as the team fell to 4-10 on the year, 1-1 in NECC play. 
           
Lesley returns to play in New England Collegiate Conference action on Tuesday, traveling to Daniel Webster College. Bay Path plays host to NECC foe Mitchell on Tuesday.