Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The Smith College volleyball team twice rallied from match points in the fifth set, but fell to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference opponent WPI in a pulsating 3-2 (25-17, 25-27, 25-19, 21-25, 16-18) defeat on Tuesday night.

Smith is now 5-7 overall, and 2-3 against NEWMAC teams, while WPI is 11-5, and 2-3 in NEWMAC play.

The Pioneers broke open a close first set by finishing on a 12-4 run for a 25-17 win.  Becca Alexander (Powell, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) and Mei-Li Smith (Cypress, Calif./Cypress) teamed by a block that put Smith up 22-16, and Bethany Ashworth (North Falmouth, Mass./Bourne) served up a pair of aces to get Smith to set point.  Mei-Li Smith (Cypress, Calif./Cypress) then finished out the set with a thunderous kill.

WPI put Smith in an early hole in the second set, racing out to a 6-1 lead, and maintained their six point advantage at 12-6 before Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) served Smith to 11 consecutive points and an 18-12 lead.  WPI closed the gap to four, then held off Smith at set point to cut the lead to 24-23.  The Engineers reeled off four of the final five points to tie the match at a set apiece.

Set three went back-and-forth, with neither team holding more than a four point advantage until Smith capped the frame on a 5-3 burst for a 25-19 win.  The fourth set followed suit, with Smith going up 19-16 on a kill from Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth), only to see the Engineers rally again, ending the set by scoring nine of the final 11 points.

The deciding set provided plenty of drama - the teams traded points, with Smith tying the match at five on Becca Gordon (West Hartford, Conn./Hall)'s kill.  Four straight Engineer points forced Smith to call two timeouts, but WPI maintained their four point advantage at 10-6 before Smith rattled off four of five to get within 11-10.  WPI held their first match point at 14-11, but when the Engineers hit out of bounds, Smith had tied the match at 14.  WPI again went to match point at 15-14, but Smith would respond, getting to match point themselves at 16-15.  After WPI called their final timeout, the Engineers scored the next two points to win the set and the match.

Mei-Li Smith (Cypress, Calif./Cypress) finished with 12 kills, 14 assists, 32 digs, and two service aces for the Pioneers.  Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) had 12 kills and 18 digs. Bethany Ashworth (North Falmouth, Mass./Bourne) had 20 assists.  WPI was led by 35 digs by Lauren D'Angelo, while Elyssa Dorenfield and Kerrin Beovich had 18 and 12 kills, respectlvely.  Alex Rangel had 37 assists.


Smith will be in action this weekend at the Seven Sisters Championship, hosted by Bryn Mawr College.  WPI will be at MIT in a NEWMAC matchup on October 4 at 7 p.m.