BOSTON, Mass. – The Clark University volleyball team (5-15) traveled east to take on Fisher (18-14) on Thursday night, marking the second meeting between the teams this season. After dropping the opening set, the Cougars bounced back to even the match before falling in the third. Clark responded by taking the fourth set and forcing a decisive fifth. After trailing by three early in the final set, the Cougars rallied to earn a 3-2 victory with a 15-12 win in the deciding frame.
How it Happened
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Seniors Katelyn Williams and Winifred Gakidis picked up early kills, but the Falcons jumped out to a 12-5 advantage.
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Clark cut the deficit to six with a kill from junior Isabella Alcott, while another kill from Gakidis and a service ace from Williams helped keep the Cougars within striking distance.
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A block from first-years Addison Link and Julia Crockett brought the deficit down to six, with two more kills from Alcott keeping Clark close. However, Fisher maintained its advantage to take the opening set, 25-18.
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The Cougars jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the second set behind kills from Alcott, Crockett, and junior Abigail Venis, along with a service ace from senior Julia Dopazo.
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Fisher briefly cut the deficit to one, but another ace from Dopazo and kills from Alcott and Williams helped Clark regain control with an 18-13 lead.
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A third service ace from Dopazo, along with additional kills from Alcott and Williams, helped the Cougars close out the set, 25-22.
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Fisher jumped out to a 10-2 advantage in the third set despite an early kill from Link. A pair of kills from Alcott helped trim the deficit to six later in the frame.
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That was as close as Clark would get, as Alcott and Link added kills down the stretch, but the Falcons pulled away to win the third set, 25-15.
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Fisher held a narrow lead early in the fourth set, but a four-point run sparked by a kill and an ace from Alcott and a kill from Venis put Clark in front, 9-7.
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Gakidis, Alcott, and Venis added kills, while an ace from junior Hannah Harrington extended the lead to 20-14.
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The Cougars took control from there, with Williams, Link, and Crockett adding kills before a Dopazo ace sealed the 25-18 set victory.
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Early kills from Williams, Crockett, and Venis kept the fifth set even at 5-5 before three quick points gave the Falcons the advantage.
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Clark quickly responded, winning seven of the next eight points behind kills from Venis, Crockett, Williams, and Alcott. Fisher briefly tied the set at 12, but three consecutive points secured the 15-12 win for the Cougars and completed the 3-2 comeback.
Inside the Box Score
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The Cougars recorded 45 kills on 43 assists, along with seven blocks, 96 digs, and nine service aces.
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Alcott led the way on both sides of the ball, recording a double-double with team highs of 18 kills and 24 digs. It marked her sixth double-double of the season.
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Harrington also recorded a double-double, her first of the season, with a team-best 21 assists and 15 digs.
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Dopazo recorded 16 assists and a team-high four service aces, marking her third match this season with at least four aces.
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Crockett was a force at the net, recording a career-best five blocks, including three solo blocks.
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Gakidis added three blocks of her own and leads the team with 43 blocks this season.
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Chinn (20 digs) and Williams (17 digs) also recorded double-digit digs in the effort.
What's Next
The Scarlet and White resume NEWMAC play by hosting Babson next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
