NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Coast Guard swept Smith College 25-23, 25-23, 25-20 on Tuesday at Ainsworth Gymnasium. The Bears recorded 34 kills and 48 digs in the match, showcasing a strong defensive effort despite the loss. Coast Guard's serving proved decisive, with eight aces contributing to their victory.

Smith started the first set with early momentum, securing the initial point with a kill by Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School), assisted by Hana Suzuki (Chattanooga, TN/East Hamilton High School). Suzuki continued to distribute effectively, facilitating points for Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, CA/The Buckley School) and Anna Feuer (Frederick, MD/Governor Thomas Johnson), which helped the Bears maintain a close contest. However, they experienced a few setbacks with service and setting errors allowing Coast Guard to catch up and eventually tie the score at multiple points.

As the set progressed, Smith capitalized on defensive stops, particularly with a block from Chapin and Feuer, narrowing Coast Guard's lead. Skye Higashihara (Honolulu, HI/'Iolani School) contributed significantly with a service ace and a kill, pushing the Bears ahead at 17-13. However, Coast Guard responded with a series of kills and service aces, drawing the score level at 23-23.

In a tense conclusion, Coast Guard edged out the Bears with consecutive service aces, ending the set at 25-23 in favor of the visiting team.

Smith opened the second set with a strong performance, quickly establishing a 6-0 lead. This early advantage was bolstered by service aces and effective blocking from Suzuki and Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau), forcing multiple errors from Coast Guard. A kill from Chapin helped push the lead to 8-3.

Coast Guard responded by narrowing the gap to 10-8, capitalizing on a service ace and attack errors from the Bears. However, Smith maintained their edge with kills from Klunder and Olivia Teske (Minneapolis, MN/South High Minneapolis), keeping the score in their favor at 15-11.

Despite Smith's efforts, Coast Guard mounted a comeback, leveling the score at 17-17 and then taking a 20-18 lead. Though Smith attempted a late rally with kills from Feuer and continued pressure, Coast Guard managed to close the set at 25-23, edging out Smith in a tightly contested finish.

The third set began with Coast Guard gaining early momentum, establishing a 4-1 lead with a series of successful plays, including two service aces from Amelia Matson. Smith managed to respond with Chapin's offensive contributions, narrowing the gap to 8-5. However, Coast Guard continued to press, extending their advantage to 13-10.

Smith showed resilience, with Chapin playing a key role in closing the deficit to 14-14, highlighted by a block from Chapin and Feuer. The teams exchanged points closely until Coast Guard secured a slight edge at 19-18. Despite Smith's efforts, including a critical block by Teske and Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University), Coast Guard capitalized on Smith's attack errors to clinch the set, 25-20.

Chapin led the Bears with 14 kills on 33 attempts, finishing with a hitting percentage of .364. Suzuki contributed significantly with 15 assists and three service aces while also recording eight digs defensively. Oakes was a force at the net, posting five total blocks across the match. Ruth Tullis (Edmond, OK/Oklahoma Christian School) anchored the backline with 15 digs, demonstrating her defensive capabilities.

Smith finishes the season with a 19-12 overall record. 

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 onto GoSmithBears.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram