WORCESTER, Mass. –
Natalie Pedersen put down 18 kills on .500 hitting, including seven in the decisive fifth set, as the Skidmore College women's volleyball team rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Clark University 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 18-25, 25-13, 15-12) Thursday night at Kneller Gymnasium. The Thoroughbreds closed the regular season at 13-11 heading into next week's Liberty League Tournament, while Clark dropped to 5-17.
- Pedersen led Skidmore with 18 kills against just three errors on 30 attacks for a .500 hitting percentage. She added two block assists and delivered the match-clinching service ace.
- Chloe Heitman recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs while serving a match-high four aces, all during a dominant fourth-set run. Catriona Hoelperl also posted a double-double with 44 assists and 10 digs while adding three kills on three attacks.
- Oia Hughes contributed nine kills on .333 hitting with a solo block and three block assists. Cece Kilroy added five kills and three service aces, while Katy O'Connell finished with four kills, two aces, two solo blocks and a block assist. Marlowe McIntyre collected seven digs and an ace.
- Skidmore finished with 51 kills on .278 hitting compared to 41 kills and a .130 hitting percentage for Clark. The Thoroughbreds held a 7-5 advantage in blocks, while the Cougars finished with a narrow 13-12 edge in service aces.
- The opening set was tied at seven before Skidmore rattled off nine consecutive points to seize a 16-7 advantage. O'Connell highlighted the surge with two service aces as the Thoroughbreds pulled away for the 25-17 win, hitting .333 in the frame.
- Clark responded in the second, building a 22-17 lead before Skidmore battled back to pull within 23-22. The Cougars claimed the final two points to even the match with a 25-22 victory.
- The third set remained tight through a 9-9 tie before Clark scored five consecutive points behind four service aces from Julia Dopazo to move ahead 14-9. It was part of a larger 9-2 run. The Cougars maintained their advantage and closed out the 25-18 win to take a 2-1 match lead.
- Skidmore answered emphatically in the fourth. With the score tied at six, the Thoroughbreds erupted for 10 consecutive points to surge ahead 16-6. Heitman powered the run from the service line with four aces, while Pedersen added three kills during the stretch. Skidmore hit .368 and held Clark to a negative hitting percentage in the frame to force a fifth set with a 25-13 victory.
- Pedersen took over early in the fifth, delivering four consecutive kills to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 Skidmore lead. The Thoroughbreds stretched their advantage to 8-5 at the changeover and later led 13-9 before Clark rattled off three straight points to pull within one. A Cougar service error gave Skidmore match point, and Pedersen followed with an ace to clinch the 15-12 victory. The Thoroughbreds recorded 10 kills against just one error on 18 attacks for a .500 hitting percentage in the deciding set.
- Isabella Alcott led Clark with a match-high 19 kills, while Dopazo finished with 26 assists, 11 digs and six service aces.
UP NEXT
Sixth-seeded Skidmore travels to third-seeded Vassar for the first round of the Liberty League Tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The Brewers defeated the Thoroughbreds 3-1 in their regular-season meeting Oct. 31. Skidmore advanced past Vassar in last season's first-round match.
