CMS Volleyball Takes Second Match of the Day, Wins 3-1 over Host Washington University

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Senior setter/right side hitter Phoebe Madsen had a triple-double with 11 kills, 20 assists and 13 digs as the No. 3-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team overcame a first-set loss to capture a tight 3-1 win over host Washington University in its second match of the day at the East to West Challenge.

Set scores were 25-27, 26-24, 27-25, 25-20 as the first three sets all went past regulation with the Athenas taking a 2-1 lead. With the win, CMS now stands at 9-1 on the season, after defeating No. 1 Emory earlier in the day in its first match of the tournament. 

The triple-double was the third of the season for Madsen, who opened the year with two of them at the Pacific Coast Classic, including one in a three-set win on opening day against Carroll. 

CMS had to regroup and play from behind after dropping the first set 27-25, in which it had three set points, the first two at 24-22 and the third at 25-24, but was unable to convert. Alaina Bohrer gave WashU the 1-0 lead with a service ace after the Bears went ahead 26-25, marking the first time CMS has trailed in a match since it dropped its only match of the season to Augsburg on August 31. 

The Athenas went down a set point in the second set at 24-23 with the chance to fall behind 2-0, but senior hitter Amanda Walker came through with a tying kill off the block to knot the score at 24-24. Sophomore Jackie Jones then came up huge with two straight kills to give CMS the 26-24 win and level the match at one set apiece. 

The third set again saw CMS miss out on a set point at 24-23 after a kill from junior middle Melanie Moore, and another at 25-24 after a Jones kill. After the Bears tied it at 25-25, though, the Athenas were able to pull it out with another Moore kill setting up a third set point, and a WashU error finishing it off. 

After the first three sets were tight the whole way, CMS finally got a little bit of separation to start the fourth set, opening up with a 5-0 lead after two straight Walker kills. A kill from junior Lucila Grinspan and an ace from Madsen gave the Athenas their largest lead at 15-8, before the Bears had a spirited comeback to pull within 18-16. 

CMS responded, though, with a key 3-0 run, with Moore starting it with a kill and sophomore Emma Thompson earning a service ace. A Madsen kill made the score 24-18, and after WashU fought off two set points, Grinspan ended it with a kill to make the fourth set score 25-20 and the match score 3-1. 

Grinspan led CMS in kills with 14, while Walker added 13, hitting .303 after managing a whopping .591 percentage in the win over No. 1 Emory (15 kills in 22 attempts). First-year setter Spencer Hagenbuch contributed 20 assists and 13 digs, and senior libero Sarah Tritschler had 24 digs and eight assists. 

The Athenas conclude play at the East to West Challenge tomorrow, when they take on No. 6 Juniata for a 2:30 p.m. match local time (12:30 p.m. Pacific).