NEW LONDON, Conn. — Smith College defeated the United States Coast Guard Academy in four sets, 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 25-20, on Tuesday at Roland Gymnasium. The Bears recorded a total of 55 kills and 98 digs, outpacing Coast Guard's 49 kills and 87 digs. Key moments included a crucial defensive stand in Set 2, where the Bears managed 24 block assists, helping secure the set 25-23 and setting the momentum for the match. Coast Guard served six aces but was unable to capitalize on their home court advantage.

Smith opened Set 1 with strong offensive execution. After an early trade of points, the Bears gained momentum with a series of effective blocks and kills, notably from Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, CA/Half Moon Bay) and Anna Feuer (Frederick, MD/Governor Thomas Johnson). This offensive push helped the Bears build a solid lead. Coast Guard briefly closed the gap with kills from Amelia Matson and Samantha Ventimiglia, but the Bears responded with a decisive run. The blocking duo of Olivia Teske (Minneapolis, MN/South High Minneapolis) and Feuer contributed to key defensive stops, allowing the Bears to regain control and extend their lead. Smith closed the set effectively, with Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) securing the final point on a kill, concluding the set at 25-20 in favor of the Bears. This point marked the beginning of Chapin's career-high performance in kills.

In Set 2, the Bears seized early momentum with an assist from Skye Higashihara (Honolulu, HI/'Iolani School) leading to an initial kill by Chapin. This set the tone for the Bears, who capitalized on Coast Guard errors and maintained a slight edge. Key contributions included kills from Etheridge and Teske, as well as a service ace by Higashihara that further extended their lead. The Bears continued to apply pressure, building a 15-10 advantage with Abby Hunt (Mandeville, LA/Fontainebleau) and Miranda Oakes (San Francisco, CA/San Francisco University) executing a well-timed block. Although Coast Guard attempted a late comeback with a series of service aces and kills, the Bears held firm. Chapin's decisive kill brought the set to a close, securing a 25-23 win for Smith.

In Set 3, Smith began with momentum as Chapin's kill, assisted by Higashihara, set the tone. Despite an early tie at 1-1, the Bears quickly regained the lead with key contributions, including a service ace by Chapin and another kill by Etheridge, reaching a 4-2 advantage. Smith extended their lead to 8-4 with a service ace from Ruby Woodward (Winchester, MA/Winchester) and a kill by Hunt. However, Coast Guard mounted a comeback, capitalizing on several errors to tie the score at 9-9. Coast Guard then pulled ahead with a run, bringing the score to 12-9 as Abigail Schweitzer contributed with multiple kills. Smith closed the gap to 16-18 with Etheridge's relentless attacks, but Coast Guard maintained their lead, eventually closing the set at 25-18. Despite strong efforts from Smith, including kills from Oakes and another from Hunt, Coast Guard secured the set with a final 25-18 score, highlighting defensive errors and timely execution.

Smith opened Set 4 with a strong offensive push, quickly establishing a 4-0 lead with contributions from Chapin and Etheridge, and capitalizing on an attack error by Schweitzer. The Bears maintained momentum with a service ace, but Coast Guard answered with a series of kills to level the score at 4-4. A service error by Coast Guard allowed Smith to regain the lead. The Bears continued to apply pressure with Teske securing back-to-back kills, extending their advantage to 10-8. Despite Coast Guard's efforts to close the gap, Chapin and Hunt responded with kills and defensive blocks, allowing Smith to stretch the lead to 16-11. Coast Guard attempted to rally, but Smith sustained control through kills by Etheridge and a service ace, moving the score to 21-15. The set concluded with Smith maintaining their edge, as Oakes and Hunt delivered decisive kills. The Bears secured the set with a 25-20 finish, closing out the match confidently.

Hunt led the team in attack efficiency, recording seven kills on 27 attempts without committing an error, resulting in a .259 hitting percentage. Etheridge contributed 16 kills and added 15 digs, accumulating a total of 17.5 points. Chapin was a defensive standout with 21 digs and also contributed offensively with 17 kills, and three service aces, leading the team with 20 points in what marked her career-high in kills. Maddie Hliboki (Valley Village, CA/Harvard Westlake) made a defensive impact with 27 digs, providing crucial support in the back row.

Smith improved to 10-5 overall and 1-0 in NEWMAC play. Coast Guard held an 8-3 overall record with a 0-1 mark in conference competition.

Looking ahead, the Bears will face off against Babson College on Saturday, September 27. The matchup will take place at 1 p.m. in Ainsworth Gym, Northampton, Mass. Smith will enjoy the home-court advantage as they aim to secure a strong performance.

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.