WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Connecticut College women's volleyball team held on for a 3-2 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday night in non-conference action at Geissler Gymnasium.

Conn captured the second, third and fifth sets to improve to 3-2 in five-set matches this season. Rae Wartelle (Tacoma, Wash.) posted a career- and match-high 16 kills to lead three Camels with double-figure kill totals. Mila Chan (San Francisco, Calif.) turned in a double-double of 14 kills and 13 digs while Riley Lord (Exeter, N.H.) chipped in a season-high 12 kills. 

After dropping the first set 25-20, the Camels bounced back to even the match by a 25-14 tally in the second. Conn led 13-8 before pulling away behind an 8-1 run that featured four kills by Chan.

The Camels dug out of an 8-1 hole to claim the third set by a 25-20 final. Conn used an 8-0 run to close the gap, but Eastern won the next five points to go up 17-13. The visitors then ripped off a 9-1 stretch—getting four kills from Chan and a pair from Wartelle—to pull into the lead for good.

The Warriors got off to a 5-0 start in the fourth and never trailed, taking the set by a 25-16 tally to even the match. Emma Robinson paved the way for Eastern with five kills in the stanza.

Conn never trailed in the deciding fifth set after getting out to a 4-0 start. Eastern kept it close, however, until the Camels opened up a 12-6 lead behind five straight points. Wartelle came up big down the stretch, supplying her fifth kill of the frame to secure match point.

Josie Kelly (Solana Beach, Calif.) handed out a season-high 50 assists to lead the offense, and Katherine Randall (Chicago, Ill.) paced the defense with a match-high 19 digs. Taylor Merrifield (Honolulu, Hawaii) also contributed 15 digs and two service aces in the win.

Conn (11-6 overall) will next host Amherst College on Friday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m.