NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's volleyball team was toppled by visiting Smith College, 3-1 (25-18, 25-16, 22-25, 25-19), this afternoon in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference action at Emerson Gymnasium on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.

The Lyons slip to 6-10 overall and 0-4 in league play, while the Bears improve to 12-7 and 3-2.

Smith hit consistently well throughout the match, boasting a .250 or better mark in every set, including a .448 clip in the fourth frame. Wheaton managed a .111 hitting percentage.

Senior outside hitter Celina Henn (Atwater, Mass.) led all players with 14 kills and scooped up 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the year, while classmate Sydney Lyon (Weston, Conn.) swung for 12 kills, served for an ace, got up for a block and registered six digs for the Lyons. Senior middle hitter Julia Wingler (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) put down eight kills and hit .250 to go with three digs, two aces and a pair of blocks. First year setter Emily Cordell (Crawfordville, Fla.) set for 20 assists, picked up eight digs and fired a pair of aces and junior libero Jackie Hochberg (Tampa, Fla.) got down for nine digs and recorded two aces.

Junior outside hitter Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) spiked for 12 kills and committed just one attack error to lead the Bears. She hit .423, while adding an ace and a pair of block assists, while junior outside hitter Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, Calif.) put away eight kills on a .300 hitting mark to go with an ace, three block assists and 11 digs. First year middle blocker Uma Schulz (Riverwoods, Ill.) contributed with seven kills on a formidable .462 hitting percentage in addition to seven total blocks, including a pair of solos, and a dig. Junior setter Ruby Woodward (Winchester, Mass.) set for 16 assists and got down for four digs and first year libero Maddie Hliboki (Valley Village, Calif.) picked up 17 digs and fired a pair of aces.

Wingler put down a kill in the opening set to keep Wheaton within one at 8-7, but the visitors scored six straight as part of a 9-2 stretch, that included four kills from Etheridge, to give Smith a 17-9 advantage. The Bears later maintained a 23-14 cushion, before the Lyons scored the next three points to cut the deficit to 23-17. Smith scored two of the final three points to take the frame at 25-18 and a 1-0 match lead.

Smith opened an 8-4 margin in the second set, before Wheaton, again, closed within 8-7 after a Hochberg ace. In a bit of deja vu, the Bears ripped off six straight to take a 14-7 lead after an Etheridge kill and later increased their advantage to 22-11. Henn put down three kills and the Lyons tallied four of the next five points to cut the difference to 23-15, before Smith scored two of the next three points, including a kill from Klunder to give the visitors a 2-0 match lead.

The teams were tied at 5-5 in the opening points of the third set, before Wheaton caught fire with an 11-3 stretch, fueled by three kills from Lyon, to take its largest lead of the day at 16-8. The Bears clawed back with a 10-4 burst to pull within 20-18. Wheaton answered with the next three points, including a kill from Henn to give the home team a 23-18 margin, but Smith hung around with four of the next five points to make it a two-point game at 24-22. Wingler found the floor for the final point for the Lyons to make it a 2-1 match.

Wheaton doubled up on the Bears to open the fourth set with a 4-2 lead after a kill from senior middle hitter Hollis Hanson (Parker, Colo.). Smith took the next three points to take a 5-4 edge and never trailed after that. The Lyons pulled even at 9-9 after three straight points were capped by a kill from sophomore right side hitter Haley Jenkins (Dartmouth, Mass.). The Bears tallied five unanswered points and later sat on match point, with a 24-17 margin, after a kill from Klunder. Hanson and junior right side hitter Mary Caroline Mazzanti (New Orleans, La.) each put down a kill for Wheaton, but first year outside hitter Alison Chapin (Temecula, Calif.) sealed the match with a kill to give Smith the road victory.

The Bears return to the court after a 10-day layoff to host NEWMAC foe Clark University on Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m., while the Lyons travel to Springfield, Mass. on October 7 to take on league rival Springfield College for a 7:00 p.m. match.