Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--A spirited comeback from the Smith College volleyball team fell just short in a 3-2 (17-25, 17-25, 25-19, 25-17, 11-15) NEWMAC defeat to Wheaton College on Tuesday night.

After dropping the first two sets, Smith (1-5, 0-3 NEWMAC) rallied behind the play of Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) and Rebecca Broadhurst (Rochester, N.Y./Gates-Chili) to take the third set 25-19.

In the fourth set, Drummond notched a pair of service aces and four kills as the Pioneers tied up the match at two sets apiece.  

In the fifth and deciding set, Smith and Wheaton went back and forth, but with the set tied at 10, Wheaton (7-6, 2-1 NEWMAC) rattled off five of the next six points to take the set 15-11.

Drummond finished with 18 kills to lead the Pioneers. Courtney Faria (Pocasset, Mass./Bourne) and Lauren Martinez (Phoenix, Ariz./Cortez) had 17 and 13 assists, respectively.

Smith will take a break from conference play to take part in the MIT Invitational on September 24 and 25.  The Pioneers will start pool play by taking on Tufts University at 4 p.m. and Vassar College at 7 p.m.