NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Connecticut College volleyball team fell to Hamilton by a 3-1 decision on Friday evening at the Luce Field House. In a match with major postseason implications on the line, the Continentals triumphed by set scores of 24-26, 25-16, 25-22, and 25-16.

Beginning with two straight service aces by Kendall Searcy, Hamilton got off to a fast start and led by scores of 3-0, 4-1, and 7-3. The Camels, however, came back and took an 8-7 lead when freshmen Christina Leduc (Mendon, Mass.) and Katie Gunderman (Oakland, Calif.) teamed up for a double block. A nip-and-tuck battle ensued which featured six ties and three lead changes until the Camels were ultimately able to prevail. Trailing 23-21, the hosts scored three straight points to pull ahead and ended the set when senior Grace McGee (Portland, Ore.) and Gunderman blocked an attack attempt by Deirdre Corrigan.

The second set was tighter than the final score suggested, as the teams were tied seven times and exchanged the lead five times. But after freshman Annie Wibbelsman (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) finished a pass from McGee to give Connecticut College a 10-9 lead, the visitors went on a 6-1 run and never looked back. A service ace by Corrigan followed by a kill from Emma Parkhurst allowed the Continentals to take the set and even the score.

Despite another sluggish start, Connecticut College led for most of the third set and went on a tear by scoring eight straight points with sophomore Emma Roberts (Port Washington, N.Y.) serving. The lead grew to as many as seven on a kill by junior Katie Howley (Scituate, Mass.), but the Continentals kept chipping away and would eventually regain the lead on a kill by Giuliana Rankin which made it 23-22. The visitors eventually closed out the set with five unanswered, gaining momentum for the rest of the way.

Hamilton scored the first point of the fourth set on a Camel service error and never trailed in the final frame of the late evening. Matsouka added a service ace to prompt a timeout with the visitors leading 15-7, and the Camels never came closer than five the rest of the way.

Rankin and Corrigan led the way for Hamilton (10-10, NESCAC 3-4), which positioned itself well to earn one of the final bids for the upcoming NESCAC Tournament. Rankin smashed a game-high 18 kills, while Corrigan posted a double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs. Dorothy Poucher contributed nine kills to go along with six aces, and Parkhurst contributed 43 assists.

Wibbelsman and Gunderman paced Connecticut College in the setback. Wibbelsman led the team with nine kills, and Gunderman notched six blocks and six kills. Roberts tied a match high with six aces, and Elle Kass (Los Gatos, Calif.) led the squad with 14 digs. McGee had a solid all-around effort with 18 assists, seven kills, and three aces.

Connecticut College (7-13, NESCAC 0-8) hosts a tri-match against Williams and Smith tomorrow afternoon. The Camels will first face the Ephs at 1 p.m. before wrapping up the day against the Pioneers at 5 p.m.