SC 3, CC 2
SC 3, MC 1
MC 3, CC 1
CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College volleyball team hosted a tri-match with Stonehill College and Molloy College Saturday afternoon at the George R. Newman Center. The Cougars lost both matches in five sets to fall to 4-8 on the season, while Stonehill (5-4) defeated Molloy (4-9) in four sets.

In the day's first match, Caldwell dropped the first set to Stonehill, 25-17 before winning the next two sets 25-22 and 25-16. Sophomore middle blocker Titilola Alao (Ossining, NY/Ossining) had 13 kills in the two wins, including eight in the second set, to pace the Cougars offensively. Stonehill came back to win the fourth set, 25-16 and set up a fifth and deciding set. Caldwell took an early 3-1 lead, but the Skyhawks scored five of the next six points for a 6-4 advantage. The Cougars regained the lead with three straight points, but Stonehill took control of the set with a string of four points that put the visitors ahead 12-8. Caldwell never recovered and lost the set 15-9.

Alao led all players with a career-high 21 kills and a .436 hitting percentage. She also had six total blocks defensively. Freshman outside hitter Susan McDonough (Saline, MI/Saline) recorded 13 kills and 13 digs, while junior outside hitter Cory Roesing (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) had 11 kills and 11 digs. Sophomore setter Lauren Roth (Findlay, OH/Findlay) registered 43 assists to go with 14 digs, and freshman libero Maddy Amon (Shelbyville, KY/Bishop Moore) led all players with 17 digs. Laura Huselton paced Stonehill with 18 kills and 16 digs.

Against Molloy, the Cougars held on to win the first set 25-22, led by five kills from junior middle blocker Keesha Francois (Elkins Park, PA/Cheltenham). Molloy gained momentum by winning an exciting second set 29-27, then took the third set 25-20. Caldwell bounced back for a 25-15 win in the fourth set, with Roth, Francois and McDonough each recording three kills. But Molloy put away 10 kills in the fifth set en route to a 15-11 victory.

McDonough finished with 15 kills and 15 digs, while Francois had 13 kills and four total blocks. Roth, pictured distributed 43 assists to go with six kills. Amon led the Cougars with 17 digs, and Roesing talied 15 digs. The Lions were led by Arielle Wichard, who had 18 kills, and Angelica Nicalek, who tallied 15 kills.

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 22 against Felician College. The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match starts at 7:00 p.m. in Rutherford, N.J.

CC - 17 25 25 16 9
SC - 25 22 16 25 15

SC - 25 20 25 25
MC - 19 25 13 23

CC - 25 27 20 25 11
MC - 22 29 25 15 15