NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Smith College fell to Mount Holyoke College in a closely contested five-set match on Tuesday at Ainsworth Gymnasium, 25-20, 16-25, 14-25, 25-20, 16-14. The Bears recorded 47 kills and 14 total blocks, showcasing a strong defensive effort. Mount Holyoke capitalized on 52 kills and 10 service aces to secure the victory.
The match began with Smith taking an early lead through a service ace by
Skye Higashihara (Honolulu, HI/'Iolani School). However, Mount Holyoke quickly responded with a series of successful plays, including a kill by Madeline Barton, to establish a 5-1 advantage. Smith managed to interrupt the run with a kill from
Anna Feuer (Frederick, MD/Governor Thomas Johnson), bringing the score to 5-2.
Despite efforts from Smith, including kills by
Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) and
Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School), Mount Holyoke extended their lead to 14-6. Smith then capitalized on errors made by Mount Holyoke to narrow the gap slightly, reaching 19-15 after a service ace by
Claudia Poehlmann (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech).
In the closing moments, Smith attempted a comeback with contributions from Hunt and
Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, CA/The Buckley School), but Mount Holyoke maintained their momentum. The set concluded with Mount Holyoke securing a 25-20 win, leaving Smith to regroup for the next set.
The second set saw Smith establish control early, with
Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, CA/The Buckley School) and
Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) contributing key kills to push the score to 3-1 in their favor. Despite a brief response from Mount Holyoke, Smith maintained momentum with a series of successful blocks by
Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) and
Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University), extending their lead to 13-8.
Smith's defense continued to be effective, forcing multiple attack errors from Mount Holyoke's Madeline Barton and Elle Rimando.
Skye Higashihara's (Honolulu, HI/'Iolani School) consistent setting set up impactful plays, allowing Smith to widen the gap to 18-10. The set concluded with Smith's offensive strength on display, as
Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) sealed the frame with a decisive kill, ending the set at 25-16 and securing a strong position in the match.
Smith opened the third set with a strong offensive performance, initiated by a kill from
Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University). The team capitalized on Mount Holyoke's errors, including multiple attack errors by Madeline Barton and Sadie Duffrin, to establish a 10-1 lead early in the set. A service ace by the team added to this momentum.
Mount Holyoke attempted to close the gap, narrowing Smith's lead to 10-5 with a series of plays led by Elle Rimando. However, Smith responded with
Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) registering multiple kills, pushing the score to 15-7.
Maddie Hliboki (Valley Village, CA/Harvard Westlake) contributed a service ace during this stretch, further extending the advantage.
Despite a brief surge by Mount Holyoke, which included a service ace from Amelia Ringor, Smith maintained control with contributions from
Uma Schulz (Riverwoods, IL/Deerfield High School) and
Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, CA/The Buckley School). The set concluded with
Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) securing the final point with a kill, sealing a 25-14 victory for Smith in the third set.
The fourth set began with Mount Holyoke taking an early lead, capitalizing on two consecutive kills by Madeline Barton. Smith responded with a kill from
Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University), leveling the score at 2-2. Despite a steady exchange of points, Mount Holyoke's service errors allowed Smith to stay within reach at 4-4.
Midway through the set, Smith narrowed the deficit with a kill by
Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) and an ace by
Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, CA/The Buckley School), bringing the score to 11-10. However, Mount Holyoke reclaimed momentum with a service ace and a series of successful plays to extend their lead to 14-10.
In the closing stages, Smith fought back with contributions from
Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) and a block by
Anna Feuer (Frederick, MD/Governor Thomas Johnson), but Mount Holyoke maintained their advantage. Despite Smith's efforts to close the gap with a late block by Feuer and Hunt, Mount Holyoke secured the set with a 25-20 finish, sealing the match.
In the decisive fifth set, Smith opened with a quick adjustment, capitalizing on Mount Holyoke's attack errors as
Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) and
Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University) combined for an early block, leading to a narrow 3-1 advantage. However, Mount Holyoke responded with a series of kills from Elle Rimando, reclaiming the lead at 5-3.
Smith maintained pressure with
Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) delivering two crucial kills to keep the score close at 6-6. The teams exchanged points in a back-and-forth contest, with
Uma Schulz (Riverwoods, IL/Deerfield High School) and
Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) securing key kills to level the score at 12-12. Despite Smith's efforts, Mount Holyoke edged ahead with a service ace and a decisive kill from Rimando, ultimately closing the set at 16-14.
Oakes contributed significantly with nine total blocks, enhancing the team's defensive efforts. Hunt led the attack with 11 kills on 30 attempts, adding seven total blocks to her performance. Higashihara facilitated the offense with 26 assists and supported the back row with 11 digs. Chapin was the top point scorer for the Bears, accumulating 15 points with 14 kills and a hitting percentage of .353.
Smith holds a 16-10 overall record and a 6-3 mark in the NEWMAC conference. Mount Holyoke has a 13-11 overall record with a 4-5 standing in NEWMAC play.
Looking ahead, Smith will host Worcester State University on November 1st at Ainsworth Gym in Northampton, Mass. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
