Box Score
CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell College volleyball team remained unbeaten in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference with an exciting, 3-1 triumph over Nyack College Tuesday night in the George R. Newman Center. The Cougars, who outlasted Nyack in the fourth set, 28-26, improve to 9-7 overall and 6-0 in league play. The Warriors drop to 6-11 overall, 2-2 CACC.

Caldwell took the first set, 25-20 behind six kills and a .750 hitting percentage from senior middle blocker Kasey Bausch (Bellmore, NY/Holy Trinity). Nyack fought back in the second set, earning a close, 25-23 win despite five kills from freshman middle blocker Taylor Kovach (Oregon, OH/Clay). It was all Cougars in the third set, as the team hit .467 collectively while getting four kills apiece from Bausch and junior outside hitter Athena Nestoras (Los Angeles, CA/St. Monica) in the 25-15 win.

In the fourth set, Nyack built a 16-11 lead before the Cougars battled back with seven straight points, including two kills from Bausch, to pull ahead 18-16. The Warriors responded to take a 21-20 lead, only to have Caldwell set up match point with two kills from both Nestoras and freshman outside hitter Taylor Zaeske (S. Milwaukee, WI/S. Milwaukee). But Nyack thwarted four match points and tied the score at 26-26. A service error followed by a kill from Zaeske finally ended the match with a 28-26 Caldwell win in the final set.

Zaeske led all players with 18 kills to go with 11 digs and four blocks. Bausch tallied 12 kills and a .440 hitting percentage to go with six blocks. Kovach and Nestoras contributed 11 kills apiece, with Nestoras adding 16 digs. Junior libero Jaclyn Del Cid (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) also had 16 digs for the Cougars, who totaled 69 digs compared to 53 for Nyack. Freshman setter Rachel Carpenter (Newark, OH/Newark) delivered 36 assists over three sets. Christy Andrews paced the Warriors with 13 kills.

Caldwell hosts another important CACC match on Saturday, Oct. 5, when Wilmington University visits the Newman Center. The first serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

CC (3) – 25 23 25 28
NC (1) – 20 25 15 26