KEENE, N.H. - The Smith College volleyball team dropped two matches in tri-match action on Saturday against Keene State, 3-1 (26-24, 18-25, 17-25, 23-25) and Plymouth State, 3-0. The Pioneers slip to 3-17 overall following today's matches.

The Owls fell behind early in the first set, as two straight kills from Xela Miller (Grenada Hills, Calif./James Monroe) and a KSC error gave the Pioneers a 9-5 lead. Lamica had three kills as part of a 12-5 run that gave the Owls a 17-14 lead, but the Pioneers tied the score behind kills from Kimani Freeman (Newark, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy) and Rojas. Courtney Collins had a kill, then a solo block on the next Smith attack as the Owls took a 23-21 lead, and reached set point on a Smith attacking error, but the Pioneers rallied, scoring the final four points of the set.

A kill from Kat Carrel gave KSC a 6-4 lead, only to see the Pioneers net the next four for an 8-6 advantage. Kills from Lamica and Cunningham gave the Owls a 14-12 lead, and the Owls nosed further in front as Lamica served up an ace and Severino powered down a kill. Two more kills from Severino increased the lead to 22-18, and the Pioneers committed three errors down the stretch as the Owls took the set, 25-18.

The Owls led 7-4 as the Pioneers' Ella Prince (New York, N.Y./Rudolf Steiner) committed an attack error, but Smith took a 10-9 lead on a kill by Iris Afantchao (Windsor, Conn./Windsor). The lead increased to 12-10 before Smith reeled off six straight points, including two aces from Bunker and two kills from Lamica, that gave the Owls a 16-12 lead and forced Smith into a timeout.Collins singlehanded increased the Owls' lead, netting three straight kills for a 23-16 advantage, and it was her kill that gave KSC the set, 25-17.

Keene State slowly pulled away, as Szymanski's kill gave KSC an early 9-6 lead. Lamica's ace made it 17-15, and Taylor Bright added an ace for a 23-18 lead.  Smith got four straight points, including Freeman's ace to cut the gap to 24-22, but Collins shut the door, with a kill from Cunningham for a KSC match win.

The Owls held the Pioneers to .042 hitting while hitting .152. First-year outside hitter Kimani Freeman (Newark, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy) led the Pioneers with nine kills, and sophomore setter Maca Rojas (Santiago, Chile/Liceo No. 1 Javiera Carrera) had 24 assists. Senior libero Julie Voorhes (Ramona, Calif./Ramona) finished with 24 digs, while Ella Prince (New York, N.Y./Rudolf Steiner) and Elizabeth Peay (Lebanon, Conn./Lyman Memorial) each notched five kills.

More to follow. Recap courtesy to Keene State Athletics