CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell University volleyball team overcame a first-set loss to defeat Dominican College in four sets in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match Wednesday night at the George R. Newman Center. The Cougars, who dropped the first set 25-19 before winning the next three, 25-18, 25-18, 25-12, improve to 10-7 overall and 5-2 in the conference. The Lady Chargers fall to 9-2, 6-2 CACC.

Caldwell had 11 kills and 11 errors in the first set, with McKenzie John delivering six kills for Dominican for a one-set lead. In the second set, the Cougars broke open a close match by scoring nine of the final 12 points for a 25-18 win. Seniors Erica Harrell (Richardson, TX/Plano East) and Athena Nestoras (Los Angeles, CA/St. Monica), and freshman Taryn Auyong (Honolulu, HI/Kamehameha) each had three kills in the set.

Auyong put away three more kills in the third set, as Caldwell pulled away late for another 25-18 win. In the fourth set, the Cougars limited the Lady Chargers to a hitting percentage of .000 while hitting .263 en route to a 25-12 victory. Harrell and Auyong led the way with four kills apiece in the set, as Caldwell avenged a three-set loss at Dominican on Sept. 24.

Auyong and Harrell finished with 11 kills each for the match, with Auyong adding 15 digs. Freshman middle blocker Narae Wadsworth (Reno, NV/Wooster) added eight kills and a .389 hitting percentage, while sophomore outside hitter Rachael DiLeonardo (Cincinnati, OH/Mt. Notre Dame) tallied seven kills and 14 digs. Nestoras registered 21 digs to go with six kills and 12 assists, and freshman setter Gabrielle Bennett (San Antonio, TX/Johnson) totaled 19 assists.  Senior libero Jaclyn Del Cid (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) paced the defense with 25 digs, as the Cougars held Dominican to a .100 hitting percentage for the match. John led the Lady Chargers with 17 kills and 15 digs.

Caldwell faces another CACC foe on Friday, Oct. 9, when the Cougars play at Nyack College. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Nyack, N.Y.

CU – 19 25 25 25
DC – 25 18 18 12