BLOOMFIELD, N.J.--Senior Amanda Schiltz (Durham, N.C.) had game-highs of 17 kills and seven blocks, including a hand in the final six Cougars points, and junior RS Natalie Piper (Long Beach, Calif.) pitched in 11 kills as Caldwell volleyball rallied to defeat Bloomfield, 3-2, in a CACC matchup at Bloomfield Gym on Thursday.

Trailing, two sets to one, the Cougars began their comeback with a late push in the fourth set that extended a 21-17 lead to a 25-18 win, a stretch which included a key service ace by junior DS Karin Ojeda (Toms River, N.J.). They had built that lead on the strength of a 6-0 run midway through the set which included two kills by freshman hitter Andrea Enabosi (Piscataway, N.J.) and one each by Piper and Schiltz, assisted by senior setter Reese Sherwood (Salem, Ore.), who had the other kill in the rally.

That sent the game to the decisive, first-to-15 fifth set, and the Cougars jumped out to a 5-3 lead before the Bears (3-13, 3-11 CACC) scored four of the next five to lead, 7-6. But the Cougars (3-19, 2-12) would not be denied on this night, reeling off four straight on kills by sophomore hitter Wyette Schubert-Brown (Chatsworth, N.J.) and Schiltz, a service ace by junior hitter Alexa McEwan (Beachwood, N.J.) and a double block by Sherwood and Schiltz for a 10-7 lead. Then, ahead 11-9, the Cougars finished off the win with four straight points, two on blocks by Schiltz then two more on kills by the senior.

Sherwood finished with 35 assists, 13 digs and seven kills. Schubert-Brown contributed seven kills and two blocks and Enabosi slammed five kills. Defensively, sophomore libero Torrien Jones (Camp Springs, Md.) had 12 digs and senior Gabriella Maffei (Oak Ridge, N.J.) had 10.

The Cougars next visit Wilmington on Saturday, then host St. Thomas Aquinas on Monday and Felician on Wednesday, which is Senior Day at the Newman Center.