BENNINGTON, Vt. – The Southern Vermont College women’s volleyball team hosted a non-conference tri-match Saturday in the Mountaineer Athletic Center. The young squad lost 3-2 to the Castleton State College Spartans and defeated the Curry College Colonels 3-1 in the second match. Junior Ashliy Veliz finished the day with 33 kills and 40 digs to lead SVC to a 1-1 day.

Castleton State 3, Southern Vermont 2

The Mountaineers (4-4) came out in the first two games powering past the Spartans 25-20 and 25-21. Castleton State (1-4) was not down and out as it rallied to take games three (25-20) and four (27-25) to even it out at 2-2. The Mountaineers had 24 points in the fourth game but could not close out on the Spartans who won in extra points. The two teams went point for point in the fifth game but a few costly errors and service error flipped the pendulum CSC’s way and ultimately gave them the victory.

The Mountaineers were led by Veliz who tallied 18 kills and 23 digs. Junior setter Hershey Canta was once again stellar from the service line as she pounded seven aces past the Spartans. She also had 28 assists, 12 digs, and nine kills. Junior Joanna Hogue led the defense with 32 digs and also aced it from the service line, as she finished with seven. Rounding out the SVC boxscore is juniors Rita hall and Tasha Smith who each had five kills in the match.

Castleton State 3, Curry 1

After the red-hot Spartans cruises to 25-16 and 25-20 victories in the first two games; the Colonels (0-6) turned it around behind freshman outside-hitter Jessica Crugnale. Curry fell behind early in the fourth game as CSC (2-4) nailed down the 25-19 win to seal its second victory of the season. Crugnale finished with six kills in the match, including 10 digs and six aces. Katelyn Boutin and Tyla Miller each finished with 12 digs on the defensive front respectively for Curry.

Southern Vermont 3, Curry 1

SVC (5-4)  led from the service line as it converted a total of 23 aces in the match. Veliz had eight, Canta had five, and Hogue had five for the Mountaineers. The Colonels (0-7) bounced back after a 25-19 game one loss to even it up at 1-1 on a 25-22 game two win. Kaitlyn Poirier, Crugnale, and Boutin each had six digs on the defensive side for Curry in the effort. Freshman Jenna Butera led the Colonels with seven kills and she also added a solo block. Veliz finished the game hitting .243 with 15 kills and she added 17 digs on defense for the Mountaineers. Senior Sarah Golub had a good match with three kills, four assists, and 13 digs for SVC. Canta tallied 29 assists (57 for the day), six kills, and a solo block. Hogue ended up with 33 digs (65 on the day) and Smith added 10 digs to round out the boxscore for Southern Vermont.

The Mountaineers are back in action next Saturday, September 25th, when it hosts a tri-match with Bay Path College (NECC foe) and Johnson State College (non-conference) in the MAC. The matches are slated for 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. and this is all coinciding with the Homecoming festivities running from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. at SVC.