Wellesley Volleyball’s Win Streak at Six with Victories Over Gordon, Maine Maritime

WENHAM, Mass. – Wellesley College volleyball dug deep and battled through two closely contested matches to increase its win streak to six with wins over Gordon and Maine Maritime on Saturday at Bennett Center. 

The Blue (6-2 Overall) were led by first year Kate Giang (Corte Madera, Calif.) with 27 kills and 17 digs over the two matches. Classmate Madeline Zornek (Orlando, Fla.) earned 53 assists on the day and sophomore libero Kaija Kunze-Hoeg (Eagan, Minn.) recorded 35 digs.

Wellesley 3, Gordon 1

Wellesley showed its grit and determination late in each set of a 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-21, 25-19) win over Gordon. Giang produced 10 kills and six digs for the Blue while Zornek had 19 assists and seven digs.

First years Mary Beeler (Menlo Park, Calif.) and Caroline Meyer (Indianapolis, Ind.) combined for 17 kills for Wellesley and Kunze-Hoeg had a team-leading 13 digs.

Junior Joey Keltner (Anacortes, Wash.) recorded a double-double for the Fighting Scots (6-2 Overall) with 16 kills and 11 digs. Setter Kate Howe (Belfast, N.Y.) made 31 assists and senior Nikki Batson (Windham, N.H.) had a match-high 15 digs.

The teams traded points for most of the first set, with neither team leading by more than three points until 18-18 when Wellesley exploded for seven straight points to win the set, including two service aces from junior Mikayla Tansil (Warren, Mich.)

In another evenly matched set, Gordon pulled away late with five straight points to lead 21-16. The Fighting Scots closed out a 25-20 second set on a kill from Keltner.

Once again the teams were knotted up at 18-18 in the third set when the Blue took seven of the final 10 points to win the set 25-21. Meyer recorded kills on both of the final two points of the set.

The defining moment of the fourth set came with Wellesley leading Gordon 20-18. Giang fired a kill followed by two straight service aces to build a lead for the Blue, and three points later, Wellesley won the set 25-19 to finish the match.

Wellesley 3, Maine Maritime 2

Giang had a double-double with 17 kills and 11 digs as Wellesley won an epic 3-2 (24-26, 25-15, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11) match over Maine Maritime. Beeler added 14 kills, nine digs, and seven service aces while Kunze-Hoeg had a match-high 22 digs. Zornek registered 34 assists in the five-set affair. 

First years Ally Hadley (Hebron, Conn.) and Sydney Williams (Melbourne, Fla.) totaled 25 kills for the Mariners (5-2 Overall). Junior Katie Albritton (Hutto, Texas) had a team-leading 24 assists and first year Annabel Frieden (Madison, Ohio) earned 13 digs.

In the first set, the Blue found itself in a 19-13 hole, only to claw back and tie the set at 23-23. Maine Maritime regained composure and survived a 26-24 first set on a kill from Hadley.

Wellesley surged out to an 11-4 lead and never let the Mariners within five points in a convincing 25-15 second set that saw 16 kills and six service aces from the Blue.

The Mariners took an early 9-3 lead in the third set and kept the Blue at arm's length, winning 25-20 with 17 kills and a .270 hitting percentage.

Wellesley took the fourth set 25-18, winning five of the last six points to force a deciding set.

After trailing 11-9, Wellesley won the final six points of the match with Beeler coming up big with a kill and a service ace.

Up next, Wellesley hosts its NEWMAC opener against Salve Regina on Tuesday, September 19 at 7:00 PM.