NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Hamilton College Continentals opened the 2026 season by splitting a pair of matches at Smith College's 5
th Annual Bonnie May Invitational inside Ainsworth Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 5.
Season Update
- Hamilton (1-1 overall) swept Colby-Sawyer College in three sets in the first match and dropped a three-setter against the hosts in the finale.
- Colby-Sawyer (1-3), which is a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, lost all three matches at the invitational.
- Smith (4-0), which plays in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference, won in three sets for the third time in four matches.
Colby-Sawyer Match (25-14, 25-22, 25-21)
How It Happened
- The Continentals scored the first three points and led the whole way in the first set. Kathryn Fox '27 had two kills in that set-opening run.
- Hamilton jumped out to 4-0 and 12-2 leads in the second set. The Chargers made it close at the end but setter Lucy Proud '29 ended the set with a kill.
- The Continentals jumped out to the early lead again in the third set at 9-3. Hamilton never trailed, but Colby-Sawyer pulled within a point at 21-20. The Continentals clinched the set and the match with four of the next five points, including two kills by Rebecca McCloskey '30.
Notes
- McCloskey led Hamilton in her first collegiate match with 11 kills.
- Grace Seaman '29 chipped in nine kills.
- Grace Jansen '29 passed out a team-high 17 assists.
- Proud served three aces.
- Caitlin Allen '27 led the defense at the net with four blocks.
- The Continentals finished with a .237 hitting percentage and posted 19 more kills (41-22) than the Chargers.
Smith Match (25-22, 25-16, 25-20)
How It Happened
- Jansen opened the match with two aces, but Smith scored nine of the next 11 points and led the rest of the first set.
- The Bears opened the second set with three straight points and led the whole way.
- In the third set the score was deadlocked at 12-12, and then Smith ran off seven of the next eight points and seized control of the set and the match.
Notes
- Ayzlinn Trefren '28 topped Hamilton with 10 kills.
- Jansen contributed 10 digs and three aces.
- Proud handed out 17 assists.
- Seaman and Fox helped lead the defense with 10 digs and three blocks, respectively.
- The Bears boasted a .299 hitting percentage.
Next Match
The Continentals travel to SUNY Delhi (1-2) for a non-conference match on Friday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m.
