The Hamilton College Continentals fell in three sets against the Middlebury College Panthers in their regular season finale on Saturday afternoon in Middlebury's Pepin Gymnasium.

The set scores were 25-15, 25-12 and 25-16. Despite the loss, Hamilton made it into the 2021 NESCAC Volleyball Championship as the No. 8 seed. The Continentals will take on top-seeded Bowdoin College in a quarterfinal in Brunswick, Maine, on Friday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. 

Hamilton (7-12, 3-7 NESCAC) posted a hitting percentage of .136 with 23 kills, 20 assists, 32 digs and 11 errors in 88 attempts. Kate Carman '24 led the team with nine kills and Deirdre Corrigan '23 followed with six kills and seven digs. Melissa Morrelli '24 had 16 assists and four service aces, and Summer McClintic '24 tied for the team lead with seven digs.

Middlebury (20-4, 7-3) had a hitting percentage of .389 with 45 kills, 37 assists, 49 digs, and 10 errors in 90 attempts. The Panthers, who received votes in the latest Division III Top 25 coaches poll, owned a 9-6 advantage in services aces and a 5-2 edge in blocks.

Middlebury scored the first eight points in the first set, opened the second set with a 3-0 spurt, and went on a 6-0 run right off the bat in the third set. The Panthers' quick starts made Hamilton fight their way back each time, but the Continentals never led in any set.