LEWISTON, Maine – The Connecticut College volleyball team rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 victory over Bates College on Friday night in a NESCAC battle at Underhill Arena.
In the deciding set, the Camels trailed by three at three different points before finding a way back. Conn closed the match with a 6-0 run and won by set scores of 23-25, 16-25, 25-18, 25-18 and 15-12. Rae Wartelle (Tacoma, Wash.) posted a match-high 15 kills and added five blocks, the last of which clinched match point.
Emilie Ferdinand (Stoneham, Mass.) also finished in double digits with 12 kills while Vibha Sheth (Austin, Texas) contributed seven blocks. Aubrie Letourneau (Mattapoisett, Mass.) chipped in 21 assists, 10 digs and four service aces while Taylor Merrifield (Honolulu, Hawaii) led the defense with 14 digs.
Conn trailed 6-3, 9-6 and 12-9 in the final set but never stopped fighting. A kill by Lola Railsback (Dallas, Texas) and a service ace by Letourneau tied the score at 12-12 and forced a Bates timeout. After the break, Keira Deeney (Norwell, Mass.) and Railsback supplied back-to-back kills to bring up match point, and following another timeout the Camels cemented the victory on a block by Wartelle and Railsback.
Anais Reneaum paced Bates (10-3 overall, 2-3 NESCAC) with 13 kills.
Conn (5-8 overall, 2-4 NESCAC) will next play at Tufts University on Saturday, October 10 at 2:00 p.m.
