Photo: Joshua D. McKee

Box Score

Middlebury Mid 13-10,7-3 NESCAC

Hamilton Ham 5-14,2-8 NESCAC

Middlebury Mid

13-10,7-3 NESCAC

Final

Nov. 02, 2024

Hamilton Ham

5-14,2-8 NESCAC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
Middlebury Mid	20	23	25	25	13	(2)
Hamilton Ham	25	25	16	18	15	(3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 11/2/2024 6:57:00 PM | Lindsay LeSueur

Volleyball outlasts Middlebury in thrilling five-set NESCAC battle

Stimson '25 helped lead the Continentals with 20 kills and six blocks in her last match

CLINTON, N.Y. – Hamilton College's Drew Stimson '25 led all players with a career-high 20 kills and the Continentals defeated the Middlebury College Panthers in five sets (25-20, 25-23, 16-25, 18-25, 15-13) inside Hamilton's Maragret Bundy Scott Field House on Saturday, Nov. 2.

How It Happened

Down 6-3 in the deciding set, Hamilton sparked a timely three-point run that evened the score. The Panthers regained the lead and carried a 9-8 advantage before the Continentals came up big at the net with three straight kills by Elodie McGeiver '27, Kathryn Fox '27 and Caitlin Allen '27 for an 11-9 edge. After giving up the next point, a no-look kill by Allen put the Continentals ahead 12-10. The Panthers answered with three straight kills for a 13-12 lead, but Hamilton shook off the threat and rattled off the final three points on a kill by Ayzlinn Trefren '28 and two kills by Stimson for the final margin.
The fifth set featured nine ties and six lead changes.
The Continentals made a 6-2 run and knotted the score at 7-7 in the opening set. A kill by Trefren and a service ace by McGeiver gave Hamilton a 10-9 edge. Hamilton carried its largest lead of the set at 18-14 after a Middlebury ball-handling error. With a 23-20 lead, Claire Cooper '26 and McGeiver slammed back-to-back kills for the set victory.
The Continentals used a 4-0 spurt for a 9-6 lead in the second set. The Panthers were closing in on the Continentals' lead, but Hamilton took off on another four-point rally for a 16-10 cushion. Middlebury came within two points on three occasions, but a Panther attack error and a kill by Stimson secured the second set victory for Hamilton.
Middlebury (13-10, 7-3 NESCAC) carried the momentum from the start of the third set after jumping out to a 9-3 advantage. The Panthers took their largest lead at 17-10 and stayed in front by at least five points the rest of the way.
The Panthers broke a 12-12 tie in the fourth set by running off the next four points on three kills and a Hamilton attack error. A pair of kills by Stimson cut Hamilton's deficit to just one at 17-16, but Middlebury responded with the next five points. Another kill by Stimson and an attack error placed the Continentals within four at 22-18, but the Panthers closed out the set with three consecutive points and forced a fifth set.

Notes

The last time Hamilton defeated Middlebury was Oct. 27, 2017.
Stimson registered 24.5 points and six blocks.
McGeiver recorded a career-best 30 digs, the most by a Continental since Nikki Matsuoka '21 had 31 against Wesleyan University on Oct. 26, 2019. McGeiver added eight kills and two service aces.
Fox stuffed a career-high six blocks and hammered eight kills.
Allen contributed five blocks as Hamilton finished with 12 as a team.
Trefren tallied her seventh double-double of the season with 13 kills and 15 digs.
Pati Cerda '26 passed out 25 assists, while Cooper finished with 15.
Mia Jessen '28 collected a season-best 24 digs.
Molly Harrison led Middlebury with 18 kills and had 24 digs.
Lillian Caldwell finished with 15 kills.
Gabbie O'Toole dished out a match-high 46 assists and chipped in nine kills and 19 digs.
Annabella Rando recorded 32 digs and Gabby Pribisich guided the defense at the net with eight blocks.