PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's volleyball team won the opening set on Saturday against Rhode Island College, but the Anchorwomen took the final three sets to down the Spartans 3-1 in the Little East Conference opener.
 
VTSU Castleton (4-5) won the opening frame 26-24, but RIC claimed the following three sets 25-19, 25-23, 26-24. A tight battle throughout, RIC had a 51-45 edge in kills and 48-42 edge in assists. The Anchorwomen blockers had a day with 10 total blocks to Castleton's two. RIC had 14 aces to the Spartans' seven, though Castleton had 83 digs against RIC's 72.
 
Jocelyn Ray and Hailey Martinovich each had 17 kills for Castleton, both setting a new season-high in the match and tying for the fifth-most kills in a four-set match in program history. Martinovich added 14 digs for a double-double and chipped in three aces as well. Maddie Delsignore had 20 digs and 37 assists—second-most in a four-set match all-time for Castleton. Sophia Call also had 20 digs for the Spartans and Vanessa LeBrun added 13.
 
Sarina Marines had a team-leading 15 kills for RIC along with 19 digs. Megan Philbrick had 13 kills and played a role in six total blocks—one solo and five assisted.
 
RIC led 5-2 early in the first set, but a four-point run by the Spartans gave the team its first lead of the set, 6-5. The Anchorwomen battled back, regaining the lead before Castleton used another four-point run later in the set to go ahead 19-16. Three unanswered points by RIC leveled the score, but two points by Castleton gave the Spartans a 21-16 edge once again. Martinovich put Castleton into set-point with a kill to make it 24-23 before RIC leveled it at 24-24 to force extra points. A kill by Madison Sheehan brought the Spartans set-point once more, and Martinovich capped it with a kill to take the first set 26-24.
 
The Anchorwomen ran out to an 8-3 lead in the second set and never trailed in the frame despite Castleton getting close in the middle of the set. A three-point run made it 11-8 and a later four-point run brought Castleton within a point, 13-12. The Anchorwomen claimed set two, 25-19.
 
VTSU Castleton led 19-15 in the third set after a three-point run, but RIC cut into the lead with back-to-back points of its own. Two more Spartan points put Castleton ahead 21-17 but the Anchorwomen again scored twice to halve the gap to 21-19. A service error by RIC gave the Spartans a 22-19 edge, but three points in a row by the Anchorwomen from there leveled the score at 22-22. Castleton went ahead 23-22 after another RIC serve error, but three points on the way out by the hosts gave the Anchorwomen a 25-23 win in the third set and a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The fourth set began with a 6-0 run by RIC, but Castleton held tough and stayed at that distance throughout the set until rattling off a six-point fun of its own to pull within a point, 19-18. The Spartans then took a 22-21 lead when the scored three points in a row. A kill by Ray and an RIC error gave Castleton a 24-22 lead once more, but the Anchorwomen scored four points in a row on the way out to steal a 26-24 win in the fourth set and a 3-1 win in the match.
 
Castleton returns to action next Saturday at WestConn for a tri-match against the Wolves and Suffolk. First serve is set for 11 a.m.