Seahawks can't get over the hump versus Camels

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Junior Jenny Kellogg (Los Altos, Calif.) registered a double-double to propel the Connecticut College volleyball team to a 3-1 victory over Salve Regina on Tuesday evening at the Luce Field House. The Camels rallied to win by set scores of 23-25, 25-21, 25-22 and 25-17.

With the victory, Connecticut College improved its record to a perfect 6-0 for the first time since the 2010 season. Salve Regina dropped to 4-3 overall this fall with the setback.

The close first set featured six ties and two lead changes between the teams. Two consecutive aces by senior Katia Elisman (Lake Forest, Ill.) broke a 3-3 tie and sparked a 9-5 run to put the hosts in control, but the Seahawks came all the way back and went ahead by a 16-15 score on a ballhandling error by the Camels' setter. Even though the Camels were able to tie the score twice at 22s and 23s, they were never able to regain the lead. Andee Bender finished a pass from Samantha Salwa to give the visitors an edge before a Camel attacking error ended the set.

After surrendering the first point on a kill by Annie Donahue, Connecticut College scored four unanswered with Kellogg serving and never looked back in the second set. The Camels went ahead by as many as seven on an attacking error by Victoria Schwendeman which made it 16-9, and an ace by senior Belinda Mullally (Garden Grove, Calif.) would give the hosts a four-point victory.

Salve Regina once again opened the scoring in the third set, but the Camels recovered by going on an early 4-0 run and establishing a lead they would never relinquish. Senior Sam Hunter(Pacific Palisades, Calif.) smashed a kill to give the hosts their largest advantage at 13-8 during a close frame before freshman Emma Hewlin (San Jose, Calif.) and Kellogg teamed up for a block on match point to give the hosts their sixth straight win to begin the 2017 campaign.

Kellogg notched a double-double by registering 10 kills and 15 digs to go along with two aces to lead the way for Connecticut College. Hunter recorded a team-high 18 kills to go along with eight digs, while Katia Elisman finished with 37 assists, and freshman Elle Kass (Los Gatos, Calif.) contributed a game-high 22 digs. Hewlin hit at an outstanding .478 clip by registering 12 kills and committing only one error on 23 swings.

Salve Regina was paced by Annie Donahue in the losing effort. The sophomore contributed 15 kills along with three blocks. Samantha Salwa had a double-double with 35 assists to go along with 16 digs, and Sydney Puffer added a team-best 16 digs.