Amherst, Mass – The Colby volleyball team traveled to Amherst this Saturday for an exciting NESCAC matchup. The Mules extended their winning streak to 12 consecutive victories, defeating the Mammoths in straight sets (23-25, 20-25, 27-29). With this win, Colby improved its conference record to 4-0 and its overall record to 14-1, while the Mammoths fell to 10-4 (1-4 in the NESCAC).
In the first set, the Mules battled the Amherst Mammoths in a closely fought contest. Amherst took an early lead, but Marjorie Johnson quickly answered with a kill assisted by Gabby Grujic. The set featured several lead changes and intense back-and-forth scoring, but Colby ultimately seized the momentum with an ace from Jordan Lee, clinching the set at 25-23. The second set began with a strong kill from Sydney Bopp, but Amherst quickly responded to take a 5-3 lead. However, the Mules rallied with two aces from Lee and crucial kills that extended their advantage to 20-13. Although Amherst mounted a comeback attempt to bring the score to 20-18, Colby held firm and finished the set with a service ace from Reese Loyd, winning 25-20 and securing a two-set lead. In the final set, both teams engaged in a fierce exchange, leading to a tense 20-20 tie following a service error by Amherst's Reid Bailey. Despite strong contributions from both sides, the Mules edged out Amherst with a nail-biting 29-27 victory, capped by a decisive kill from Sarah Friedrichs.
Johnson once again led the charge with an impressive 13 kills, supported by Friedrichs with eight and LJ Grant with seven. Lee excelled not only in offense with 3 aces but also in setting, delivering a game-high 19 assists alongside Grujic, who matched her with another 19 assists. Colby's defensive efforts were solid, highlighted by Bopp and Johnson each contributing 2 blocks, while Jillian Roche added 1. Loyd stood out in digs, recording 11, followed by Grant with eight and Alli McKenney with four, helping the Mules maintain their composure throughout the match.
The Volleyball team is set to return to Mayflower Hill to face the Ephs of Williams College next Friday in another NESCAC conference game.
