NEW LONDON, N.H. – The Norwich University women's volleyball team continued Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Tuesday evening, falling to Colby-Sawyer College in straight sets, 25-18, 25-11, and 25-23, at the Hogan Sports Center.
Grace Davie (Lynnfield, Mass.) paced the Cadets offensively with a team-high five kills while adding two service aces and two digs. Isabella Vasapolli (Pepperell, Mass.) contributed four kills, three digs, and a block assist, while Elexis Powell (Charlotte Hall, Md.) added two kills and joined Vasapolli on Norwich's lone block of the match.
Ainslee Vargas (Rusk, Texas) directed the offense with 10 assists and four digs, while Kelsey Slane (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) led the defensive effort with a match-high 14 digs and chipped in a kill and an assist. Vanessa Whitmill (Fremont, Calif.) recorded two service aces, six digs, three assists, and a kill, while Aylei Connolly (Westfield, Mass.) tallied two kills and a service ace.
As a team, Norwich finished with 16 kills, 14 assists, five service aces, 34 digs, and one total block. Colby-Sawyer countered with 40 kills, 34 assists, nine service aces, and 48 digs in the victory.
The opening set featured a strong start from the Cadets, who built a 14-9 advantage behind three early kills from Davie and steady defensive play from Slane.
After Colby-Sawyer scored the opening point, Norwich responded by claiming five of the next six, with Davie supplying a kill during the early surge. The teams traded points through the middle stages before consecutive Davie finishes helped the Cadets turn a 9-10 deficit into a 14-9 advantage.
Norwich remained in front, 16-14, following kills from Davie and Slane, but the Chargers seized momentum from there. Colby-Sawyer closed the opening frame on an 11-2 run, fueled by four service aces from Kamryn Brakemeier, to secure the 25-18 victory.
Colby-Sawyer carried that momentum into the second set, using an early scoring run to establish control. A kill from Connolly and a service ace from Whitmill helped Norwich stay within reach, but the Chargers continued to pull away behind efficient attacking and strong serving.
Whitmill added a late kill, and Norwich scored three of four points near the end of the frame before Colby-Sawyer secured the 25-11 victory and a two-set advantage. The Chargers hit .462 in the second behind 14 kills and only two attack errors.
The Cadets answered with their strongest performance of the night in the third set.
Norwich battled through 10 ties and six lead changes while receiving offensive contributions from Vasapolli, Powell, Connolly, and Davie. After the teams went point-for-point throughout the opening stages, back-to-back service aces from Davie gave the Cadets a 12-10 advantage.
Norwich continued to maintain its edge through the middle portion of the frame. Vasapolli delivered a kill to make it 14-12 before Davie found the floor at 17-15. The Cadets later stretched the margin to 20-16 on another Vasapolli finish, putting Norwich five points away from extending the match.
Colby-Sawyer responded with an 8-1 surge, however, turning the four-point deficit into a 24-21 advantage.
The Cadets refused to go quietly. Consecutive Charger attack errors allowed Norwich to fight off two match points and close within 24-23, but Colby-Sawyer followed with the final kill to escape the frame, 25-23, and complete the sweep. Norwich hit .240 in the third set with seven kills against just one attack error, its most efficient frame of the evening.
Norwich will return to Andrews Hall on Friday, Oct. 16, opening Homecoming Weekend with a non-conference matchup against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) at 4:00 p.m. The Cadets will then return to GNAC action on Wednesday, Oct. 21, traveling to Albertus Magnus College.
