NEW LONDON, N.H. – The Colby-Sawyer women's volleyball team fell in five sets to the Wentworth Institute of Technology on Tuesday night. The Chargers battled tough, winning the first two sets of the night. Freshman Makaila Blinne (Palm Bay, Fla.) led the Chargers with eight kills.
 
The Basics
Score: Wentworth 3, Colby-Sawyer 2 (18-25 | 28-26 | 25-19 | 25-19 | 15-11)
Records: Wentworth (4-1) | Colby-Sawyer (2-2)
Location: New London, N.H.
 
Set Breakdown:
 

• The Chargers and the Leopards went point for point, until a kill by junior Olivia Werner (Williston, Vt.) jump started a four-point run to put Colby-Sawyer in the lead. Wentworth quickly responded with four straight kills to tie the set up at seven. From there, points went back and forth as both teams fought to get to 25. The Chargers began to separate themselves after another kill by Werner and a four-point run which included two serving aces, this time by senior Sam Mohammed (Killingworth, Conn.). Two huge kills by junior Ameesah Cotton (Newburgh, N.Y.), that were assisted by senior Anna Allen (Los Angeles, Caif.) put the Chargers into the twenties, leaving the Leopards stuck at 16. After a Leopard attacking error, freshman Audra Fontes (Fresno, Calif.) took the reins and finished with a serving ace to make the score of the first set 25-18, Colby-Sawyer.
• A forceful block by junior Mia Harmon, (Concord, N.H.) followed by two serving aces for Mohammed put the Chargers up 5-2 early in the second set. Similar to set one, Wentworth answered back with a serving ace and two Charger attack errors to give the Leopards a one-point lead. The one-point advantage was quickly shut down by a masterful Cotton kill to make the score even at six. Two more serving aces by Mohammad started a short run for the Chargers which included another kill for both Werner and Cotton, as well as two more assists for Allen. Tied at 16, the Leopards receive some lucky points due to serving and attacking errors to give them the lead 20-16. This was their first lead of over one point in the set. The Chargers countered back with a four-point stretch, including kills by Cotton and junior Kaytlin Young, (Goffstown, N.H.). With the score even at 24, a serving ace by Blinne added a point for the Chargers who need one more to win by two. A Leopard kill gave Wentworth a taste of the lead, until an attacking error and back-to-back serving aces by Mohammed took the Chargers into the third set, 2-0.
• Going into the third set up 2-0, the Chargers rapidly put up three back-to-back points to give them the lead. Freshman Brenna Humpage (Scarborough, Maine) was substituted in and gave her team a one-point lead with a serving ace. The set went on with points flying from each side. Now tied at 16, a kill by Werner interrupts a seven point run for Wentworth. Two service errors from each side gave both teams a point making the score 24-18. Keeping the Chargers alive, Blinne received a kill to make it 24-19 but despite her efforts, a kill by the Leopards gives them set three.  
• Wentworth went up four points early in the set. The next 12 points of the were evenly distributed to both teams as they went point-for-point until a kill by Wentworth made the score 12-7. The Chargers showed great effort to try and take the lead, but fall short after a service error. Keeping the lead, the Leopards allow a Charger four point, which entailed a serving ace for Allen. Discouraged by a Leopard kill, the Chargers drop the fourth set 25-19.
• Similar to the theme of the night, both the Chargers and the Leopards come out swinging as they went point-for-point in the beginning of the fifth set. Three kills and a serving ace put the Leopards ahead 6-3. An attacking error gave Colby-Sawyer a point which was quickly matched by a Leopard kill. Points continue to go back and forth. After an attacking error put the score at 10-6, the Chargers made an exciting comeback to tie it up at 10. A kill for each team ties the score up at 11. With two strong kills, an attacking error, and a serving ace, Wentworth reached 15 and won the match.

 Notes & Notables

• Allen had a team-high 29 assists in the five-set thriller.
• Cotton tied her season-high in kills with seven.
• The Chargers had 17 aces, compared to the Leopards nine.

 
Up Next:
Colby-Sawyer heads to Quincy for the Eastern Nazarene tournament. The Chargers first game is against Husson University is set for Friday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.