MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The top-seeded Wesleyan volleyball was given a major test by the eighth-seeded Colby as the Mules won the third set and were leading late in the fourth, only to see the Cardinals rattle of a 6-0 run that catapulted the home side to a 3-1 victory (25-20, 25-19, 18-25, 25-21) and a date with fourth-seeded Amherst in the NESCAC Semifinal on Saturday. Wesleyan improves to 22-2 on the season and 11-1 at home while the Mules see their season end with a 14-9 record.
 
This marks the fifth straight season wherein the Cardinals have won at least one NESCAC Tournament match, as Wesleyan prepares for a matchup against Amherst that went the Cardinals' way in the regular season (3-0 sweep at home). On the other side of the bracket, second-seed Tufts will face third-seeded Williams at 3:30 pm.
 
In a match where Colby had more kills (55-51) and outhit the Cardinals (.192-.179), the home side relied upon some timely service aces as well as their blocking (14-7 in favor of Wesleyan) to key the victory. Sophia Lindus '26 racked up 15 kills with nine digs while Kathryn Morton '24 was a force in the middle all night, posting 12 kills while hitting .450 to go along with two service aces, five digs and six total blocks.
 
Grace Dennis '23 engineered a great match at the setter spot, racking up 45 assists with two service aces, two blocks and eight digs. Lindus, Bianca Ortiz '24 and Grace Bell '23 each tallied nine digs while Dennis and Jenna Otaola '22 added eight apiece. Bella Ahearn '23 posted 10 kills with a .308 attack percentage.
 
For only playing one set, Kate Long '24 made a major impact as the junior outside hitter was subbed on midway through the fourth set with Wesleyan trailing. With her team down 18-17, Long contributed on three straight points as she started with a kill and then recorded a solo block followed by a block assist to help inspire the Cardinals on a key 6-0 run. At match point, Long combined with Bianca Gonya '25 on a match-sealing block to cap the victory.
 
Wesleyan's offense was sluggish to start play as the Cardinals recorded only seven kills compared to 14 for Colby in the opening set. Yet, somehow Wesleyan managed a 25-20 first set victory on three service aces and four total blocks while the Mules committed nine attack errors.
 
The Cardinals flipped the script in the second set, posting 16 kills with a .235 attack percentage to power past the Mules in a 25-19 victory. Wesleyan started the set strong with a 5-2 lead that grew to a 12-6 advantage. Colby, however, made a run and cut the deficit to 14-13, before three unanswered Wesleyan points pushed the gap back to four. The Mules got to within two points of the lead but no closer as the Cardinals finished the set on a 5-1 run capped by a kill from Lindus.
 
Colby played their best set of the match in the third, racking up 14 kills with just three errors, hitting .297 (the highest of either team in any set of the match). Colby built a 6-2 lead and led the rest of the way as the sides continued to trade points until the Mules finished the set strong and extended the match to a fourth set.
 
Wesleyan appeared to be in control of the fourth set, taking an early 6-3 lead but the Mules rattled off four unanswered points to take a 11-9 lead of their own. The two sides traded 3-0 runs in the middle of the set and with the Mules later leading 18-17, Ahearn posted a kill which started the most-crucial sequence of the match, a 6-0 run that carried Wesleyan to the victory. Long was crucial in the rally, recording a kill and contributing on three blocks including the one that finished off the match.
 
Semifinal play begins at 1:00 PM from Silloway Gymnasium as the Cardinals host Amherst (14-6) with a trip to the title match on the line.