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Date: November 10, 2005
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Colby-Sawyer earns NCAA volleyball win over Smith

WATERVILLE, Maine ---- Colby-Sawyer senior outside hitter Kathy Couture (Greenfield, Mass.) needed all of her 25 kills to reach 1,500 for her career in leading the sixth-seeded Chargers to a 3-1 win over third-seeded Smith College in a NCAA Division III New England Regional opening round match Thursday at Colby College.

Colby-Sawyer, which won by scores of 30-21, 28-30, 30-26, 30-27, will play the winner of a later match between Tufts University and Emmanuel College in a regional semifinal Friday at 4:30 p.m.

Couture, the all-time leader in kills at Colby-Sawyer (30-8), had 25 kills with a game hitting percentage of .500.

Jessica Niebuhr (Mantiou Springs, Colo.), the all-time assist leader for the Chargers, added 58 assists, 26 defensive digs and six kills. Anne Coulter (Hudson, N.H.) had 19 kills and four blocks, while Ashley Lorance (Pembroke, Mass.) had 13 kills and five blocks. The Chargers also received nine kills, 23 digs and four blocks from Lindsey Wilfore (Plattsburgh, N.Y.). Smith (23-7) received 29 kills and 33 digs from senior outside hitter Kate Sorensen (Kelso, Wash.). Sorensen finished a fine career with 1,606 kills and 2,393 digs.

The Pioneers also got 21 kills and 31 digs from Catherine Shafer (Red Bluff, Calif.). Lauren Perry (Metairie, La.), the all-time assist leader at Smith, had 56 assists and finished her career with 2,519. Megumi Sasaki (Singapore) had 26 digs.

Colby-Sawyer achieved a measure of revenge on Smith with the win Thursday. The Pioneers took a 3-2 victory over the Chargers in last year's Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament.