Box Score CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's volleyball team dropped a hard-fought four-set match to the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds on Tuesday evening at Glenbrook Gymnasium.
 
The Basics
Final Score: Skidmore 3, VTSU Castleton 1
Location: Glenbrook Gymnasium – Castleton, Vt.
Records: Skidmore 8-8 | VTSU Castleton 8-9
 
How It Happened
Castleton came out eager to defend its home court, and early swings from Jocelyn Ray and Madison Sheehan showed promise, but the opening set quickly tilted in Skidmore's favor. Despite matching the Thoroughbreds with eight kills, the Spartans struggled to find a rhythm, committing 10 attack errors and hitting -.059 as a team. Alondra Rojas and Nicolette Vaughn kept several rallies alive with sharp defense, but Skidmore's clean play highlighted by Chloe Heitman and Maya Stolarz combining for six kills, allowed the Thoroughbreds to pull away for a 25-12 win.
 
The Spartans responded in the second set with poise and determination, refusing to let the tone of the opening set define the match. Lilli Burrows found her rhythm on the outside, hammering down two kills, and Sheehan added two of her own along with a momentum-swinging block that brought the crowd to life. Vaughn and Lillirose Prevost were key defensive players, each making critical digs during long rallies. After trailing, Castleton strung together a 6-1 run, fueled by a strong service stretch from Prevost. With the energy shifting, the Spartans closed out the set 25-20 holding Skidmore to a .000 hitting percentage and evened the match to one set apiece.
 
The third set proved to be the most competitive of the night. Castleton found its offensive momentum early, posting 13 kills and hitting .079. Rojas dished out 10 assists and added another pair of digs, while Ray and Sheehan added four kills apiece. Freshman Olivia Smith made a big impact at the net with a block assist and several kills, and Vaughn steadied the defense with three digs. Skidmore responded with more efficient hitting, including 11 kills on 28 attempts and a .286 hitting percentage. Heitman and Natalie Pederson combined for five kills as the Thoroughbreds edged ahead late to steal it 25-19.
 
With the momentum in hand, Skidmore took control early in the fourth set and never looked back. They had their most dominant frame, hitting .407 with 13 kills and just two errors. Castleton battled to stay in reach with a block from Smith, an ace from Rojas, and steady defense from Vaughn and Prevost, but couldn't slow Skidmore's surge. Skidmore closed out the set 25-13 to take the match 3-1.
 
By the Numbers

• Ray led the Spartans with 11 kills and added a block assist.  
• Sheehan followed closesly with 10 kills, two block assists, and a solo block.
• Rojas recorded her second straight double-double with 26 assists and 17 digs, while also tallying eight kills and four total blocks.
• Skidmore hit .219 as a team and totaled 11 service aces, with Heitman leading all players with 12 kills.

What's Next
The Spartans next game is on the road at New England College on October 9^th for a non-conference matchup.