MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Smith College faced two tough matches at the Panzer Athletic Center, falling to Montclair St. (1-0, 0-0 NJAC) 3-1 and being swept by Mount Aloysius (1-0, 0-0 AMCC) 3-0.

In the match against Montclair St., Smith started off strong, but Montclair took the first set 25-21 after leading early. Smith rallied with kills from Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University) and Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, CA/Half Moon Bay), bringing the score to 20-21, but Montclair finished strong with a service ace. The second set saw Smith open with a 3-0 lead, thanks to Etheridge and Uma Schulz (Riverwoods, IL/Deerfield High School), but Montclair responded to take the set 25-21. 

Smith came alive in the third set, capitalizing on Montclair's errors and taking a decisive 25-15 win, led by Etheridge's performance. The fourth set was competitive, with Smith tying the score at 15-15, but Montclair pulled ahead to win 25-19 and secure the match.

Etheridge led Smith with 15 kills on 37 attempts and added 15 digs, totaling 17 points across four matches. Higashihara contributed significantly with 31 assists and maintained a .333 attack percentage. Klunder recorded two service aces and led the team with 6.5 total points.

In the match against Mount Aloysius, Smith started strong with an early lead thanks to Olivia Mendoza's (Chino Hills, CA/Ruben S. Ayala) kill, but Mount Aloysius quickly took control, winning the first set 25-15. Smith responded in the second set, where Etheridge's efforts kept the game competitive, but Mount Aloysius secured the set 25-22. The third set saw Smith take an early lead, but despite Etheridge's standout performance, Mount Aloysius edged out with a 28-26 victory.

Etheridge again led Smith with 13 kills on 43 attempts and contributed 10 digs, totaling 14.5 points. Higashihara tallied 21 assists and added six digs, while Tullis made a significant defensive impact with 18 digs.

Up Next

Looking ahead, Smith will travel to William Paterson tomorrow to take on the hosts as well as Trine University.

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