LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — Columbia volleyball surged out to a two-set lead, but Stonehill mounted a comeback to edge the Lions in five, 3–2 (23–25, 19–25, 25–22, 25–21, 15–12), on Friday afternoon in the opening match of the Clocktower Tournament hosted by Siena.
The Lions (0–4) were led by Elena Maynulet, who tallied a match-high 17 kills and three service aces, and 10 digs. It was her third double-double of the season. Eva Atkins added 12 kills and three blocks, while Ruby van der Heide directed the offense with 36 assists and 12 digs - her first double-double of the year. Presley Liberty paced the back row with 11 digs, and Maria Happ and Charlotte Gravlee contributed eight kills each.
Stonehill (1-7) was led by Mia Berardino's match-high 18 kills on .441 hitting. Emaline Ealy added 214 kills, while Catherine Detweiler chipped in nine. Kendra Sawyer ran the Skyhawk attack, finishing the afternoon with 40 assists.
Columbia started the match strong, using an early 6–2 run to establish momentum in the opening frame. Maynulet was effective on the outside, and Gravlee added timely kills to keep the Lions in front. Stonehill closed late, tying the set at 23–23, but Atkins and Gravlee delivered kills on back-to-back points to clinch the opener.
The Lions carried their rhythm into the second set, hitting a match-best .393 as a team. Atkins powered Columbia with four kills, and Maynulet added three, while van der Heide spread the offense effectively. Columbia's defense forced seven Stonehill errors, and a kill from Happ closed the set, giving the Lions a 2–0 match lead.
Stonehill responded in the third, capitalizing on Columbia's offensive miscues. The Lions committed eight attack errors and hit just .034 in the frame. Despite a late push with kills from Maynulet and Gravlee to pull within 23–22, the Skyhawks secured the final two points to extend the match.
The fourth set was tightly contested, featuring nine ties. Atkins and Happ each contributed kills to keep Columbia within reach, but Stonehill's attack efficiency (.366 in the frame) proved too much. The Skyhawks broke away late with a 4–1 run to even the match at two sets apiece.
In the deciding frame, Columbia traded points early behind kills from Maynulet and Atkins. However, Stonehill looked poised to cruise to the win following a Berardino ace to make it 10-4. Out of timeout, the Lions roared back into the match, going on an 8-2 run to tie the set at 12-12. Kills from Happy, Atkings, and Gravlee set the tone. Stonehill responded with a timeout of their own and came out of the break scoring three quick points to seal the set and the match.
Columbia finished with 55 kills and eight aces but was undone by 24 attack errors and 14 service errors. After hitting .260 in the first two sets with nine errors, the Lions hit .154 over the final three sets with 15 attack errors.
Columbia returns to action tomorrow for the second day of the Clocktower Tournament. The Lions will play a doubleheader beginning with a match against Belmont, followed by a date with tournament host Siena. First serve between the Lions and the Bruins is slated for 9:30 a.m.
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