AMHERST, Mass. – Hamilton College's
Ayzlinn Trefren '28 posted a double-double with 12 kills and 17 digs in the Continentals' thrilling, five-set NESCAC victory against the Amherst College Mammoths inside Amherst's LeFrak Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 19.
Season Update
- Hamilton (5-2, 1-1 NESCAC) rebounded from its loss at nationally ranked No. 10 Wesleyan University the night before on Sept. 18.
- The Mammoths (4-4, 0-2) dropped their second conference match at home in as many days, also falling in four sets against Middlebury College on Sept. 18.
How It Happened (26-24, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 15-11)
- There were five ties early in the deciding fifth set. The Continentals trailed 7-6 but took the lead for good with five straight points – a run that was keyed by defensive specialist/libero Zua Vang '29. Vang's second kill of the season put Hamilton ahead 8-7, and she followed that up with an ace. Mackenzie Sickinger '28 and Elodie McGeiver '27 recorded block assists on the next point and Rebecca McCloskey '30, who started the run with a kill, ended it with another for an 11-7 advantage. McCloskey eventually ended the match with her sixth kill of the fifth set.
- The Continentals led for most of the first set, but Amherst ran off three straight points and tied the score at 24-24. Hamilton clinched the opening set on a Mammoths service error and Vang's first kill of the season.
- In the second set the Continentals moved ahead to stay with three straight points for an 8-5 advantage. The mini-run started with an Amherst service error, followed by block assists by McGeiver and Caitlin Allen '27, and was capped by a Grace Seaman '29 ace. Hamilton put the Mammoths away with seven points in a row for an 11-point cushion at 19-8. Seaman had two kills and the Continentals benefitted from four Amherst attack errors during the spurt.
- A sweep looked likely after Hamilton scored the first five points of the third set and still led by four at 20-16. The Mammoths chipped away at their deficit but the Continentals still held a 23-22 edge. Amherst responded with three kills by three different players, including Ellie Myers on set point.
- Hamilton held a 5-3 edge in the fourth set when the Mammoths registered seven of the next eight points for a 10-6 lead and led the rest of the set.
Notes
- Trefren's double-double was her second this season and the 12th of her career with the Continentals.
- Kathryn Fox '27 hammered a career-high 12 kills and had just one attack error in 31 total attempts for a .355 hitting percentage.
- Hamilton doubled up Amherst in total blocks, 8-4. The Continentals were led by Sickinger and McGeiver with six and four, respectively. Sickinger's total was the most in a match in her collegiate career.
- Mia Jessen '28 helped lead the defense with 20 digs, which is the most by any Hamilton player this season. Jessen has reached double figures in digs in each of the last three matches.
- Grace Jansen '29 handed out 21 assists – the first 20-plus performance by any of the Continentals in 2026.
- The teams have split their last six meetings.
Next Match
Hamilton plays its eighth straight road match at NESCAC foe Middlebury College (9-2, 1-1) on Saturday, Sept. 26 at noon.
