Bay Path defeats Mitchell College 3-1 in NECC Volleyball Action

Bay Path holds off Mitchell for 3-1 volleyball win

 NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team lost in four sets to Bay Path University on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference play at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

 Bay Path secured the match with two-point victories in the third and fourth sets. The Wildcats won by set scores of 25-18, 16-25, 25-23 and 26-24 to improve to 7-7 overall and 2-1 in league play.

 Lauren Vallee (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central) led all players with 12 kills and added five aces and 23 digs to pace the Wildcats. Taylor Heinbokel (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) andPaige Marshall (New Britain, Conn./Howell Cheney Technical) added eight kills apiece while Lexi Cears (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) handed out 30 assists.

 Myia Williams (Roselle, N.J./Roselle Catholic) led Mitchell (3-10 overall, 0-3 NECC) with 11 kills while Amanda Rowan (Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown) and Janelle Rice (Meriden, Conn./O.H. Platt) each added eight. Rice also contributed 16 assists while Colby Zitoli (Walpole, Mass./Millis) posted a match-high 26 digs.

 After the teams split the first two sets, Bay Path raced out to an 18-10 lead in the third before Mitchell fought its way back into the stanza. Williams got things going with a kill to cut the deficit to seven, and Italia Krick (Griswold, Conn./Griswold) served for eight straight points to cap a 9-0 run that put the Mariners in front 19-18. Krick had two aces during the spurt while Williams and Rowan each added a kill and a block.

 The Wildcats called timeout and then snapped the streak with back-to-back kills by Marshall and Vallee to regain the lead. Bay Path later tied the score at 23-23 following a kill fromAshlee Connors (Springfield, Mass./Sabis International Charter) and then took the set behind a kill by Heinbokel and a Mitchell attack error.

 Bay Path appeared in control of the fourth set and was on serve with a 23-17 lead. An attack error by the Wildcats cut the margin to five and brought Krick back to the service stripe, and once again she delivered for the Mariners. Mitchell scored the next six points—including a pair of kills by Rowan and another by Williams—and pulled back in front at 24-23 on an ace by Krick.

 Another timeout proved crucial for the Wildcats, who tied the set at 24-24 on the ensuing point thanks to a Mitchell ball-handling error. Vallee then took matters into her own hands, recording a pair of kills to end the match for the visitors.

Mitchell will next host Connecticut College on Monday, October 10 at 6 p.m. Bay Path returns to action at home against Becker College on Wednesday, October 12 at 7 p.m.

Story by Mitchell College Sports Information Department