NEW LONDON, Conn. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's volleyball team was defeated by host United States Coast Guard Academy, 3-1, (25-15, 28-30, 25-17, 25-18), this evening in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Roland Gymnasium in New London, Conn.

The Lyons slip to 6-9 overall, including 0-3 in league play, while the Bears improve to 11-6 and 1-2.

Coast Guard hit .250 or better in three of four of the sets to finish the match with a .245 hitting mark, while Wheaton was held to a .085 hitting success rate.

Sophomore right side hitter Mary Caroline Mazzanti (New Orleans, La.) swung for a career-high and match-high 22 kills to go with a pair of digs for the Lyons, while junior outside hitter Celina Henn (Atwater, Calif.) registered her third double-double of the season with 12 kills and 14 digs to go with an ace and a pair of total blocks. Sophomore setter Ajsa Orbán (Budapest, Hungary) directed the offense for Wheaton with 38 assists and added 17 digs, an ace and two block assists and sophomore libero Jackie Hochberg (Tampa, Fla.) got down for a career-best 35 digs and added two aces.

First year outside hitter Amelia Matson (Stafford, Va.) recorded 16 kills with a .279 hitting clip to go with four digs for the Bears, while senior Shannon Shaw (Torrance, Calif.) hit .295 to fuel a 15-kill effort in addition to picking up six digs and getting up for a block assist. Sophomore setter Sophia Rosenberg (Lebanon, Pa.) led all playmakers with 40 assists, fired an ace, picked up three digs and recorded three block assists. Senior libero Kaela France (Calhan, Colo.) fired a match-high three aces and added 30 digs.

The Lyons opened a 5-3 lead following a Mazzanti kill, before Coast Guard put together a dominant 14-2 blitz, led by three kills from Shaw, to give the home team a 17-7 cushion. Junior middle hitter Hollis Hanson (Parker, Colo.) put down three kills as part of five unanswered points from Wheaton to cut the deficit to 17-12. The Bears closed the set with an 8-3 run, led by a pair of kills from Shaw and Matson each, to take the opening frame, 25-15.

The Lyons raced out to a 7-1 margin in the second frame following a pair of kills from Mazzanti and two aces from Hochberg. Wheaton junior hitter Julia Wingler (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) later swung for a kill to keep the Lyons' margin at 11-7, but Coast Guard took a one-point lead, after it scored six of the next seven points, at 13-12. Wheaton responded in kind, led by a pair of kills from Mazzanti, to take an 18-14 lead and later maintained a 21-17 margin. The Bears closed within 21-20, before Mazzanti put away a kill to give the Lyons set point at 24-22, before Coast Guard ripped off three straight points, including a pair of aces from France to give the Bears set point at 25-24. Coast Guard held onto its edge at 27-26, but Wheaton roared back with four of the final five points, including a pair of kills from Henn to give the visitors the set at 30-28 to even the match at 1-1. 

The home team took an early 8-4 lead behind a trio of kills from senior Carlee Lingle (Schertz, Texas) in the third set. Lyon sophomore defensive specialist Arianna Tanksley (Chesapeake, Va.) fired a pair of aces to spark four straight points to pull Wheaton even at 8-8. The Bears scored five of the next six points to take a 13-9 margin and later maintained a 15-11 lead. Wheaton closed within 16-15, but Coast Guard closed out the set with a 9-2 run, including three kills from Matson, to give the home team the third set at 25-17 to take a 2-1 edge in the match.

The Bears opened a 13-7 lead midway through the fourth frame, before the Lyons ripped off four straight points, including a pair of kills from Mazzanti, to close within 13-11. Coast Guard put together a 10-4 stretch, including a trio of kills from Shaw, to increase its lead to 23-15. Sophomore Samantha Ventimiglia (Key West, Fla.) put the Bears a point away with a kill to give them a 24-16 advantage, before Henn and Mazzanti, cut the margin to 24-18 for Wheaton. Coast Guard closed out the match with the next point. 

The Lyons return to the court on Saturday, October 5 when they head to Babson Park, Mass. to play NEWMAC rival Babson College at 11:00 a.m. and Roger Williams University at 1:00 p.m. in a tri-match, while the Bears travel to Worcester, Mass. to play Worcester Polytechnic Institute on the same day at 1:00 p.m.