BOSTON, Mass. — Emerson College handed No. 19 Smith College its first NEWMAC loss of the season Tuesday night, defeating the Bears 3-1 (29-27, 25-18, 22-25, 25-14) at Brown & Plofker Gym. The result ended Smith's 12-match winning streak and moves the Bears to 21-2 overall and 7-1 in conference play. Emerson improves to 15-4 and 6-2.
Smith came back from an 18-22 deficit late in the opening set. Alison Chapin (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley High School) had three kills during the rally, and Natalia Rossi (Mebane, North Carolina/Eno River Academy) served her third ace of the set to give the Bears a 25-24 lead. Emerson saved the set point, and after the teams were tied at 27-27, Rachel Dickerson's kill ended it 29-27. The Lions took control of the second set with a 6-0 run on Sami Kim's serve that put them ahead 18-9.
Trailing 18-10 in the third, Smith closed the set on a 15-4 run. Rossi served back-to-back aces to pull the Bears within 20-18. Smith then scored six straight points, five with Hana Suzuki (Chattanooga, TN/East Hamilton High School) serving, including her ace that tied the set at 21. Chapin put down two straight kills for a 24-21 lead, and Nola Gannon (Dallas, Texas/Townview TAG) finished it with a kill. Emerson answered in the fourth with a 7-0 run on Lauren Yoo's serve that turned a 12-10 lead into a 19-10 lead, and Dalena Garrett closed the match with two straight aces.
Chapin led Smith with 12 kills, hit .281 and added nine digs. Anna Feuer (Frederick, MD/Governor Thomas Johnson) had nine kills and six block assists, Uma Schulz (Riverwoods, IL/Deerfield High School) hit .286 with seven kills and five block assists, and Sara Warren (Long Beach, CA/Sato) added six block assists as Smith outblocked Emerson 11-8. Skye Higashihara (Honolulu, HI/'Iolani School) had 20 assists and Suzuki had 14. Ruth Tullis (Edmond, OK/Oklahoma Christian School) led the back row with 13 digs, Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, CA/Half Moon Bay) added six kills and 12 digs, and Rossi finished with five aces. Dickerson led Emerson with 16 kills and 11 digs, and Chloe Hokenson added 13 kills and 18 assists. The Lions outhit Smith .182 to .116 and had 10 aces to the Bears' six.
Smith returns home to face No. 11 Wesleyan University in the NESCAC-NEWMAC Challenge on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. at Ainsworth Gym.
About Smith Athletics
Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information, log on to GoSmithBears.com and follow the Bears on Facebook and Instagram.
