Box Score NEW LONDON, Conn.--The Middlebury College volleyball team won its fourth NESCAC Championship at Luce Field House Sunday, defeating Connecticut College 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-23) for the league title.
Middlebury captures its second NESCAC Volleyball Championship in the past three years. The Panthers have won the NESCAC Championship in 1997, 1998, 2010 and 2012.
It was the ninth victory in the past 10 outings for the Panthers (22-6), who received the automatic berth for the 2012 NCAA Championship. The Camels (24-3) had their 14 match winning streak snapped.
Megan Jarchow (Cos Cob, Conn.) buried 19 kills and added five digs for the winning side. Senior setter Julia Gibbs (Houston, Texas) narrowly missed a triple-double with 13 digs, nine kills and nine digs. Kathryn Haderlein (Pasadena, Calif.) dished out 27 assists to go with 13 digs en route to a double-double.
Caitlin Barrett (Medfield, Mass.) corralled a match-high 23 digs to lead the Panther defense.
Connecticut College rookie outside hitter Caroline Martin (Palo Alto, Calif.) finished with 11 kills and nine digs in the setback. Cailyn Straubel (Dallas, Texas) contributed seven kills and seven digs. Senior setter Katie Ketcham (San Francisco, Calif.) finished with 31 assists and 10 digs.
Rachel Schroff (Palos, Verdes, Calif.) added 22 digs and five kills for the hosts.
After taking a 25-20 decision in set one, the Panthers took control in the second set, using a Haderlein kill to open up a 20-11 advantage. Later on in the set, Amy Hart (Kenilworth, Ill.) buried a kill from the left side to make it a 23-15 contest. Martin got one point back for the Camels to make it a 23-16 score. But Hart answered with a kill before Jarchow close out the set with the game-winning kill.
The Camels battled back from a 7-3 deficit in the third set and enjoyed a 16-13 advantage after Martin supplied a service ace for the hosts. But Jarchow responded for the Panthers with kills on the next two points and eventually put the visitors on top 20-18 when she joined forces with Piper Underbrink (Ocala, Fla.) for a Panther block.
The Camels continued to respond and pulled even at 23 when Martin notched her 11th kill. But the Panthers were able to score the next two points to close out the shutout win.
It was a great day for all small college volleyball fans as 550 patrons packed the bleachers in Luce Field House.
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