LEWISTON, Maine — The Bates volleyball team rallied from a lopsided third-set loss to force a decisive fifth set Saturday afternoon, but Trinity College pulled away in the finale to defeat the Bobcats 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 25-9, 19-25, 15-3) in NESCAC action at Underhill Arena.
The loss was Bates' second consecutive five-set setback and dropped the Bobcats to 10-4 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Bates has played six five-set matches this season, posting a 3-3 record. Trinity improved to 11-5 overall and 2-5 in the NESCAC.
Sofia Castiglioni led Bates with 11 kills and a .370 hitting percentage, committing just one attack error on 27 attempts. Nora Gilmer added 10 kills, while Elle Faris finished with nine kills and 15 digs. Anaïs Reneaum contributed eight kills and eight total blocks, including two solo stops.
Lauren Croom recorded 25 assists, 12 digs and three service aces, while Alice Fischer added 15 assists and 10 digs. Malina Young collected a team-high 16 digs, and Logan Yogi finished with 15.
Bates claimed the opening set 25-23 behind a .310 hitting percentage. The Bobcats led 20-16 before Trinity rallied to tie the score at 22-22. Consecutive kills from Gilmer and Faris put Bates ahead 24-22 before Faris delivered the deciding kill.
Trinity responded with a 25-22 victory in the second set before dominating the third, 25-9. The Bantams broke open a 6-6 tie with 10 consecutive points and held Bates to a -.148 hitting percentage.
The Bobcats regrouped in the fourth, using a four-point run to build a 19-13 advantage. Castiglioni later delivered a kill and service ace as Bates extended its lead to 23-15. Reneaum and Young supplied the final two points in a 25-19 victory, forcing a fifth set.
Trinity seized control immediately in the finale, scoring the first eight points and never allowing Bates to recover. The Bantams completed the victory 15-3, holding the Bobcats to one kill in the deciding set.
Bates looks to regroup before returning to action on Friday with a 7:00 p.m. NESCAC road contest at Amherst.
