CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College volleyball team swept Dominican College, 25-21, 25-16, 25-22 in a clash between Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division rivals Thursday night in the George R. Newman Center. The win is the second in a row over a divisional opponent for the Cougars (4-6 overall, 2-0 CACC), who beat Bloomfield College on Tuesday. The loss is the first in league play for the Lady Chargers (7-5, 3-1 CACC).

The two teams battled back and forth in the first set, with neither team leading by more than two points through the first 40 points of the set. With the score 20-19 in favor of Caldwell, the Cougars strung four points together to reach set point. After Dominican tallied the next two points, sophomore middle blocker Titilola Alao (Ossining, NY/Ossining) recorded the final point with a kill to win the first set, 25-21. The Cougars had 13 kills and just three errors for a .370 hitting percentage in the set.

In the second set, Caldwell again had three attack errors and nine kills en route to a 25-16 victory. Alao and juniors Keesha Francois (Elkins Park, PA/Cheltenham) and Justine Pecora (Clifton, NJ/Mt. St. Dominic Acad.) recorded two kills apiece. Junior defensive specialist Lauren Herzog (Lodi, NJ/Lodi), left, registered the winning point with one of her four service aces on the night. Like the first set, the third set remained close throughout. Caldwell broke a 20-20 tie and held on to win, 25-22, with a kill by freshman outside hitter Susan McDonough (Saline, MI/Saline) giving the Cougars the set and match.

McDonough finished the match with nine kills, including six in the third set, and 12 digs. Alao (eight kills) and Francois (six kills) both hit .278 for the match, while Francois had three total blocks. Sophomore setter Lauren Roth (Findlay, OH/Findlay) matched Herzog with four service aces to go with 24 assists and 11 digs. Freshman libero Maddy Amon (Shelbyville, KY/Bishop Moore) led all players with 20 digs. For Dominican, Michelle Fiorvanti tallied nine kills, while Catherine Giordano had 14 digs in the loss.

Caldwell hosts a tri-match on Saturday, Sept. 19 against non-conference opponents Stonehill College and Molloy College. The first match, between the Cougars and Stonehill, is set to start at 11:00 a.m. in the Newman Center.

CC - 25 25 25
DC - 21 16 22