CMS Volleyball Closes Strong for 3-0 Win Over WashU

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The No. 6 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps volleyball team played three tight sets against No. 18 WashU but came through under pressure all three times to take a 3-0 win on the opening day of the East-West Battle at Cal Lutheran.

Set scores were 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 as the Athenas improve to 5-0 on the young season with the win, while WashU slips to 5-2 with the loss. 

CMS had a particularly strong close in the third set, when it trailed 22-20 but rattled off the last five points in a row to secure the sweep. Melanie Williams and Kelsey Polhemus each had kills to tie the score at 22-22, and after a WashU attack error, the duo combined on a block to set up match point. Jenna Holmes then finished off the match with her 11th kill of the day to give CMS the third set 25-22 and 3-0 win. 

Holmes also had a kill on set point in the second set with the Athenas holding a 24-23 lead. CMS was ahead 20-19 when Brenna Bell and Williams had consecutive kills to put the Athenas head 22-19. The Bears clawed back within 24-23, but Holmes was able to put the ball down to give CMS the 2-0 advantage. 

CMS held a 20-19 lead in the first set before ending on a 5-2 run to take the lead. Williams and Holmes started the closing stretch with back-to-back kills, and a WashU service error gave CMS a 24-20 lead. WashU fought off one set point, but Audrey Sawyer earned a kill to give the Athenas the first set. 

Melanie Williams was also in double figures in kills for the Athenas with 10. CMS will be back in action tomorrow when it faces the No. 1 (Trinty) and No. 2 (Emory) ranked teams in the nation on the same day, with a chance to move up the national rankings.