SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - The Mount Holyoke College volleyball team battled back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat Smith College, 3-1 (14-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-13) in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Tuesday evening. With the victory, the Lyons move to 8-13 overall and 1-8 in conference play, while the Pioneers slip to 3-21 and 0-9 in the NEWMAC.

Smith came out firing in the opening frame, taking the first set by a 25-14 margin, including eight kills from sophomore outside hitter Amy Hagen (Owings, Md./Northern). The two teams kept things tight to open the second set, but the Lyons opened up an 8-2 lead behind a kill from rookie outside hitter Sarah Bishop.

The lead proved to be short-lived as Smith closed the gap to 8-7 behind two more kills from Hagen. Three consecutive kills from senior captain and middle hitter Jamesa Allen widened the Lyons advantage once more. A kill from junior opposite Charlotte Strine (Wilmington, Del./Brooklyn Friends School) (Wilmington, Del./Brooklyn Friends School) got the visitors to within two, but seven of the next eight points went in favor of the home team for the 25-17 edge.

Mount Holyoke once again opened a wide margin in the third set, taking a 12-6 lead on a kill from Allen. Smith saw junior opposite Iris Afantchao (Windsor, Conn./Windsor) lay down a strike to make it 21-15, but MHC rallied once more to push it to set point. The Pioneers cut the deficit once more (24-18), but a kill from senior captain and right side Sarah Caggiano sealed the set win.

Heading into the fourth set, the Lyons once again took control with a quick 16-9 lead behind a kill from junior middle hitter Sasha Simine. Another 6-0 run followed, which included a pair of kills from Caggiano to earn the 22-10 margin and a final kill from Allen clinched the match victory.

For MHC, Simine recorded 13 kills on 26 attempts for a .462 hitting percentage. She also posted a game-best four block solos and four block assists. Allen also had 13 kills on 25 attempts for a .400 hitting percentage. She also boasted a service ace, a block assist and four digs. Caggiano had nine kills and a match-best five block assists, while Bishop posted seven kills and a match-high 16 digs. Sophomore setter Brayden Walden notched a match-leading 37 assists.

Smith was paced by a match-best 21 kills from Hagen, who also added five digs. Junior defensive specialist Helena Wiatrowski (Winchester, Mass./Winchester) (Winchester, Mass./Winchester) notched a match-high 16 digs, while Afantchao had a block solo, three block assists and five kills. Junior setter Kimani Freeman (Newark, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy) added 32 assists and a service ace to go along with six digs and a block assist.

Smith concludes its regular season on Saturday as well, traveling to Worcester to face Clark in NEWMAC action at 1pm.

(Recap courtesy to MHC Athletics)