SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College volleyball team celebrated Senior Day in style with a pair of sweeps in the first night of the Skidmore Invitational on Friday. The Thoroughbreds breezed by Lasell (25-10, 26-24, 25-8) and fought through a three-set victory against Potsdam (25-21, 27-25, 25-23).
Skidmore improves to 19-10 overall with the sweep.
The Thoroughbreds came out of the gates fast with a dominating 14-1 lead, leading by as many as 14 points (16-2). Lasell would mount a small rally, but Skidmore finished the set on a 4-1 spurt. The Thoroughbreds battled through the second set with Lasell, but Skidmore grabbed an early lead and held it until late. The Lasers wouldn't give up, taking the 23-22 lead after a 3-0 run. Skidmore took advantage of four Lasell errors in the final five points, taking the 26-24 set win. That momentum carried them into the third set, where Skidmore grabbed an early lead and led nearly the whole way through.
Skidmore hit an impressive .313 as a team, with just eight attack errors throughout.
Katy Ehnstrom led with 11 kills, hitting .474.
Bailey Hutchins had one of her best hitting matches of the season, hitting .538 with seven kills.
Allie Dillon led with 15 digs, while
Lily Fitzgerald finished with 12 assists.
Before the final match, the Thoroughbreds honored their 2019 senior class: Dillon,
Bailey Hutchins, and
Caite Canfield.
Perhaps fired up after the pre-match festivities, the Thoroughbreds jumped out to a 9-1 lead early on, leading by as many as 10 points (14-4). Potsdam would chip away at the deficit, trailing by just two points (22-20) at the tail end of the set. Skidmore would close the set with a pair of kills by Ehnstrom and Canfield.
After a strong start in the second set, Potsdam took control, taking an 8-6 lead after a 5-1 run. Both teams would make big runs as the lead see-sawed back and forth. With Potsdam holding a 21-19 lead, Skidmore flipped the switch. After Skidmore cut the deficit in half on a
Zoe Beals kill, Canfield secured an ace by the slimmest of margins, as the ball barely got past the net and in front of the Potsdam defense.
Sophia Hettler would then hit a well-placed ball in the next rally as Skidmore took the lead. Even though Potsdam retook the lead at 25-24, three attack errors doomed the Bears as Skidmore won the set 27-25. Skidmore was then able to hold off the Bears in the third, winning the match with a 25-23 set victory.
Ehnstrom once again led the Thoroughbreds with 15 kills, hitting .519.
Lauren Wolters had a solid all-around game with her fourth double-double of the season. She tallied 18 assists and tied a career-high with 15 digs.
Allie Dillon finished with 20 digs and added three service aces.
Skidmore ends the Invitational and the season on Saturday, hosting Morrisville at 10 a.m., and New Paltz at 2 p.m.
