NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- The Smith College volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 15-25, 12-25) decision to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opponent Babson on Tuesday evening on their senior night. 

The Pioneers move to 15-10 and 5-4 in conference play while the Beavers improve to 21-4 and 8-1.

Highlights

• Smith began the first set with a slight 15-12 edge before Babson recorded eight unanswered points to claim the lead 20-15
• The Pioneers recorded four of the next five points to close the gap at 21-19, but a final four-point run led the Beavers to a 25-19 win in the first set
• Tied at 9-9 in the second frame, Smith posted a 7-2 run to claim the advantage 16-11
• Babson reduced the margin to 21-18 but a final four-point surge claimed the second set for the Pioneers at 25-18
• Starting the third set with a 6-6 tie, the Beavers recorded a 9-1 run to push the lead to 15-7
• Smith attempted to close the gap but Babson was able to finish the third set with a 25-15 victory
• Babson began the fourth set with an early 12-4 lead
• The Pioneers pushed to disrupt their streak but the Beavers were able to pull away with a 25-12 win, claiming the 3-1 victory

Notes

• Leading the Pioneer offense was Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) who produced 14 kills (hitting .219) while Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, CA/Half Moon Bay) posted 13
• Meg Hopkins (Matthews, NC/Covenant Day School) recorded 19 kills for Smith while Ruby Woodward (Winchester, MA/Winchester) also notched double digits with 15
• Playing in her final regular season home volleyball match, senior libero Gabby Beckman (Berthoud, CO/Grandview) delivered 24 digs for Smith

Senior Recognition
Senior libero Gabby Beckman (Berthoud, CO/Grandview) played a pivotal role in the development of the Smith College volleyball program. The Berthoud, Colo. native has produced an impressive 1480 digs over four seasons, putting her at No. 7 all-time in program history. Beckman currently has a 3.73 digs per set average, recording a season-high 464 digs (4.07 digs per set) during her sophomore season. Beckman has also produced 250 assists and 111 service aces for the Pioneers. The senior has three more regular season opportunities to compete for the Smith volleyball team, hoping to extend the season and compete in the NEWMAC tournament. 

Up Next
The Pioneers will travel to Waltham, Mass. to face Brandeis on Thursday, October 26 for a 6pm match. 

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.