MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Bowdoin College volleyball team matched the program record for best start to a season, improving to 18-1 with a dramatic 3-2 win at Middlebury on Saturday.

The Polar Bears (18-1, 8-0 NESCAC) won their third five-set match of the season and match the best start to a season in school history set by the 2011 squad. Middlebury falls to 12-4 (5-3 NESCAC) with the loss.

Match Highlights

• Bowdoin earned the win by scores of 25-22, 16-25, 23-25, 25-12, 15-9.
• The Polar Bears took an early 8-2 lead in the opening set only to see the Panthers rally to tie the score at 14. Middlebury took a late 20-17 lead, but Bowdoin closed the set on a 8-2 surge, sparked by late kills from Sydney Salle and Kate Kiser to take a 1-0 lead.
• Middlebury cruised in the second set to tie the score 1-1 and then used a late 6-2 run to take the third set, 25-23, and a 2-1 overall lead.
• Bowdoin forced the tiebreaker after an impressive fourth set, using a 15-5 run to end the set in the 25-12 win.
• In the deciding set, Bowdoin burst out of gate to take a 4-1 lead and never trailed. The Panthers stayed within striking distance until a game-clinching 8-2 run by Bowdoin gave them an insurmountable 13-6 lead following a service ace by Emily King.

By The Numbers

• A balanced Bowdoin attack saw three players with double-digit kills, led by 11 from Caroline Flaharty and Ashley Williams and ten from Sydney Salle.
• Lisa Sheldon had 32 digs while Flaharty added 16 and Emily King posted 13.
• Kate Kiser dished out 46 assists and Cori Gray had nine blocks for Bowdoin.
• Middlebury was paced by 14 kills apiece from Isabel Sessions and Sarah Staver. Middlebury committed 31 attack errors in the match.

Up Next

• Bowdoin hosts Bates on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. in a non-conference match at Morrell Gymnasium.