NEW LONDON, Conn. -- In a Friday night thriller, Bates College volleyball fell to Connecticut College in a hard-fought 3-2 battle at Luce Field House. The Bobcats, leading 2-1 after three sets, ultimately succumbed to a late rally from the Camels, which secured their first NESCAC victory of the season.
After Bates opened the contest by an inflated score of 29-27, the Camels claimed a 25-16 win in set two. The garnet and white again edged the home team in the third frame, this time by a 25-22 margin, to go ahead two-sets-to-one. Conn. College would proceed to win 13 of the final 16 points of the fourth set, winning the stanza, 25-16.
With the score now tied at 2-2, the Camels jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the fifth-and-final set before Bates exploded on a 9-3 surge to cut its deficit to 13-11. Unfortunately, a subsequent kill and service ace provided Conn. College (10-5, 1-4 NESCAC) the two points it needed to clinch its maiden conference triumph.
Mila Chan topped the victors with her match-best 19 kills and five aces. Rae Wartelle followed with 12 kills in the win while Josie Kelly contributed a double-double with 43 assists and 11 digs.
Ami Evans, two days after posting a career-high 22 kills vs. Saint Joseph's (Maine), authored her sixth double-double of the year for Bates by contributing 14 kills and 12 digs in Friday's effort.
Skye Higashihara added her fifth such performance as the Bobcat first-year fired off 41 assists and 14 digs.
Sami Kim anchored the Bates defense with 23 digs for the garnet and white.
The Bobcats (8-7, 2-4 NESCAC) remain in the Nutmeg State as Bates heads to Trinity College for a 1:00 p.m. Saturday match-up.
